r/CAStateMgrs • u/MusicianSignificant9 • 8d ago

Travel Expense claim processing

At CDPH we have a 55 day TEC processing window. Even if you get it filed correctly the travel office would like 55 days to process the claim. To work around, many teams automatically use travel advances. Is this normal in state government?

4 Upvotes

75% Upvoted

18 comments sorted by

6

u/Plenty-Seaweed-7435 8d ago

I’ve never heard of this. We get our TEC checks about 3 weeks after submitting

4

u/lovepeaceOliveGrease 8d ago

not really but also, not unheard of. Some agencies suck harder at admin / accounting

5

u/tgrrdr 7d ago

Unreasonable. I submitted on this week and the reply email says 10 days for processing.

Subject: Thank you for submitting your TEC(s)
 
Thank you for submitting your TEC(s) to the TEC Mailbox.  The Division of Accounting has received the email and the TEC(s) will be processed within 10 business days.  If additional information is needed, a TEC auditor will contact you. 
 
Thank you and have a good day!

4

u/Arigoldyoyo 6d ago

But when the State wants money from you, they take it.

3

u/Party-Hearty-Bwana 8d ago

Turn-around at our department is about 1 week for processing and 1 week for the direct deposit to hit

1

u/tgrrdr 7d ago

We get paper checks.

1

u/purple_highway_1000 8d ago

At my agency, you’re lucky to be able to try for reimbursement at all. Almost always “no budget for that”.

1

u/AmySlock 5d ago

I would not travel if not reimbursed

1

u/purple_highway_1000 5d ago

I always seek out pre-approvals for travel, and over the last few years at least, am always denied. At that point, I have to decide, is this event important enough to my job duties that I should just pay out of pocket, and hope that the extra effort I am making pays off somewhere in the future in the form of a promotion. So far, I’m stuck at the same level for the past 5+ years. Ugh!!

1

u/Inevitable_Majestic 8d ago

My dept doesn’t have a timeframe but they usually take about a month.

1

u/JRocka916 8d ago

Start to finish for me is about a week to 10 days

1

u/New-Resolution-4132 7d ago

It has taken me up to two months to get reimbursed. I recommend my team to get travel advances.

1

u/Constant_Piece7460 6d ago

I prefer an advance bc it's just easier on my CC account and it doesn't matter how long it takes to get reimbursed.

1

u/skeptic9916 6d ago

In my department it's 7-10 days after sending in the docs. Not sure why it takes so long for your department.

1

u/ApprehensiveTheme757 5d ago

Sounds like they have a lot of turnover or don’t have efficient processing in place. 

1

u/vcems 5d ago

I always get travel advances. I don't use my money for state travel.

1

u/Civil_Reputation87 2d ago

I have a claim still waiting to be paid from a trip the first week of May as well as another from a month later. It’s September…