During last week's citywide professional development day, many PFT members were directed to supersites away from their usual work locations.
According to the PFT Collective Bargaining Agreement (Article XII Section B #18), all PFT members are entitled to travel reimbursements each and every time they are directed to go to a location other than that to which they are regularly assigned.
Here's a simple step-by-step guide on how to claim your travel reimbursement from the district:
STEP 1: Use Google Maps to figure out your normal commute distance from home to your school work location (6.1 miles in the example). Print this page and circle the amount.
STEP 2: Use Google Maps to figure out the commute distance from your home to your assigned PD location on the morning of the mandatory PD (7.4 miles in the example). Print this page and circle the amount. *If your mandatory PD was in the afternoon, simply reverse this step with STEP 3.*
STEP 3: Use Google Maps to figure out the commute from your mandatory PD location back to your school work location (15.1 miles in the example). Print this page and circle the amount.
*If you are ever mandated to travel to two or more locations during a single work day, make sure to add those stops as well when calculating your total commute for the day.*
STEP 4: Multiply the miles in STEP 1 by TWO in order to get your normal commute distance (6.1 x 2 = 12.2 miles in the example). Then, add the numbers you obtained in STEP 2, STEP 3, and STEP 1 to figure your TOTAL commute on the PD day (7.4 + 15.1 + 6.1 = 28.6 miles). Subtract the first number from the second number to figure out how much extra you had to travel on the PD day (28.6 – 12.2 = 16.4 extra miles).
*If you added up all three legs of your PD day commute and it seems you actually traveled less than your normal commute, then you are not entitled to a reimbursement.*
STEP 5: Multiply your final number in STEP 4 by $0.58. This is how much money the district owes you for travel expenses (16.4 x $0.58 = $9.51). *If you simply enter the number under “miles traveled” on the SEH-195 form, the number will automatically populate.*
STEP 6: Fill out the SEH-195 form (see completed example below). Make sure to include your math, just like in the example below. Print and sign. Include your 3 Google Map printouts in the same envelope, then send by stamp-free PONY mail at your work location to:
Accounts Payable Department
Administration Building
440 North Broad Street, Suite 324
STEP 7: Don’t spend all of your newfound wealth in one place! Most importantly, you can do this each and every time you are mandated by the District or an Administrator to attend an off-site location during work hours. Make sure to know and exercise all of your hard-fought union rights under our negotiated PFT contract.