11. Appendix I - OVR Guidelines.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRY

OFFICE OF VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION

PROGRAM POLICIES & GUIDELINES

NUMBER: 10-100.02

SUBJECT: Driver Services for OVR Employees

DATE: May 26, 2010

ADDRESSEES: OVR Staff

OVR Legal Counsel Pennsylvania Social Services Union (SEIU) American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)

EFFECTIVE

DATE: Upon Receipt

RESULTING

ACTION: Drivers must have a current contract with the Commonwealth in order to provide driver services to employees who have visual or other physical impairments.

INQUIRIES: Stan Swaintek

570-826-2361

Copies of this numbered memorandum are available upon request.

All materials provided, produced and published by OVR will be made available in the appropriate alternative format when necessary and/or upon request.

Background Historically, OVR employees experiencing vision loss or other physical disabilities which preclude their ability to drive themselves have been responsible for providing their own commute to the office. However, these individuals are responsible for providing services to customers in other locations, both urban and rural. Often it is necessary for the OVR employees to travel extensively from their office to meet with customers, other service providers, or prospective employers.

OVR Staff Driver services are to be used for daily business travel only, i.e. visiting a customer’s home, a school, or a work site. Depending upon the district, the travel may involve an overnight stay. However, the driver service is not to be used for long distance travel to conferences, etc. unless no other viable option is available. Carpooling with fellow employees or public transportation is encouraged and preferred.

Trips should originate at either the district office or the staff person’s home, whichever is closer to the destination.

The most cost effective option should be selected. If there are any questions, the staff person should ask the supervisor, assistant district administrator, or district administrator.

Driver Drivers will sign a confidentiality agreement which will be kept on file in the district office.

The driver will be reimbursed for mileage and time regardless of how many passengers are transported. If more than one employee is being transported, the driver may not double the fee.

Drivers do not qualify for state hotel rates. The driver will be reimbursed for actual hotel room costs for reasonable accommodation.

Drivers do not get paid for lunch.

The driver will be reimbursed for meals at the state subsistence rate when the trip is in overnight travel status.

The driver will follow Commonwealth subsistence policies. The driver must submit receipts for all costs incurred.

All travel shall be by the most direct and expeditious route considering both travel time and distance.

If in overnight status, the driver will be paid until arrival at the hotel or until no longer working.

If a driver’s car breaks down, payment stops at that point. If the car is able to be restarted and they can proceed, payment resumes. If the car is unable to proceed, the driver is responsible for ensuring that the employee arrives safely at the destination. If someone else comes to pick up the employee, payment ends when the new driver arrives.

PROCEDURE

The OVR employee will select a driver from the list of approved vendors and arrange the itinerary for the proposed day.

The driver will fill out the Expense Log for each trip. He/she will then fill out the Driver Invoice with the totals for the two-week pay period and submit both forms to the OVR employee.

The OVR employee will verify the totals on the Driver Invoice and sign it.

If there are any expenses claimed in error, the employee will make that correction and inform the driver of the modification in payment. The designated staff person will send a corrected version of the invoice to the driver.

The OVR employee will then submit both the Expense Log and Driver Invoice to the designated staff person (i.e. LOFA, Clerk Typist 3, etc.). The driver does not send his/her invoice to the Comptroller.

The designated staff person will verify the expenses and fill out a goods receipt. Then the staff person will mail it to the Comptroller's designated post office box:

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania-PO Invoice PO Box 69180 Harrisburg, PA 17106

ATTACHMENTS

OVR-140 Driver Invoice Expense Log OVR-141 Driver Invoice & Log Instructions OVR-142 Driver Confidentiality Form Eligibility Requirements for Drivers