Insurance will be provided on the following basis:
(A) 
Medical Insurance. All full-time employees are covered by a medical plan or a payment in lieu thereof, funded by the Village. The Village Clerk's Office must be notified of a divorce or legal separation of the covered employee, and further must be notified when a child is no longer eligible as a covered dependent of the employee.
(B) 
Other Insurance Types. All Village Employees are additionally covered by the following:
(1) 
Social security legislation and salary deductions shall be made for social security purposes in accordance with the law.
(2) 
Worker's Compensation Act (820 ILCS 305/1 et seq.). Any work related injury or illness must be reported to the employee's supervisor within 24 hours of the injury or onset of illness.
(3) 
Unemployment insurance, the costs of which shall be paid by the Village.
For meetings and seminars, employees may be granted leave with pay to attend meetings, seminars and conventions of professional and technical organizations when such attendance would benefit the employee's ability to perform the job, and is approved in advance by the Village Board. For any training programs conducted after regular working hours, such training shall be voluntary unless arrangements for such training includes the granting of overtime. All employees shall be reimbursed for mileage expenses incurred while attending assigned schools outside the county. Upon receipt of a notice to attend the training school, the employee will request the use of a departmental vehicle to transport those attending to and from school. If a departmental vehicle is not available, reimbursement shall be made for the employee's use of their personal vehicle. When two or more persons attend the same school at the same time, the superintendent may require that only one person will be eligible to receive reimbursement for travel. The rate of reimbursement shall be established by the Village Board.
Each employee shall fill out a designation of beneficiary form. Upon the death of an employee, the designated beneficiary shall be entitled to receive from the appropriation for personal services theretofore available for payment of the employee's compensation, such sums for any accrued vacation period to which the employee was entitled to at the time of death. Such payment shall be computed by multiplying the employee's daily rate of pay by the number of days of accrued vacation at the time of death. Upon the death of an employee, the estate shall receive any unpaid compensation, accrued overtime, or other benefits the employee would have been allowed had the employee survived. Family members of deceased employees should contact the Village Clerk's office for explanation of any further benefits the family members or the estate of the deceased employee may be entitled to.
[Amended 12-20-2016 by Ord. No. 16-12-01; 4-15-2025 by Res. No. 2025-04-01]
(A) 
Purpose. The Village of Brownstown will reimburse employee and officer travel, meal, and lodging expenses incurred in connection with approved travel, meal, and lodging expenses incurred on behalf of the Village. Employees and officers are expected to exercise the same care in incurring expenses for official business as a prudent person would in spending personal funds.
(B) 
Definitions.
ENTERTAINMENT
Includes, but is not limited to, shows, amusements, theaters, circuses, sporting events, or any other place of public or private entertainment or amusement, unless ancillary to the purpose of the program or event.
MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE REIMBURSEMENT
The maximum amount that may be reimbursed for travel, meal, and lodging expenses, which is set at $2,500 per travel event.
TRAVEL
Any expenditure directly incident to official travel by employees and officers of the Village involving reimbursement to travelers or direct payment to private agencies providing transportation or related services.
(C) 
Authorized Types of Official Business. Travel, meal and lodging expenses will be reimbursed for employees and officers of the Village only for purposes of official business conducted on behalf of the Village. These include but are not limited to off-site or out-of-town meetings related to official business and approved seminars, conferences and other educational events related to the employee's or officer's official duties. If you are unsure whether an expense is reimbursable, please contact the President.
(D) 
Categories of Expenses.
(1) 
Airfare. Travelers are expected to obtain the lowest available airfare that reasonably meets business travel needs. Travelers are encouraged to book flights at least 30 days in advance to avoid premium airfare pricing. Only coach or economy tickets will be paid or reimbursed. The traveler will pay for the difference between higher priced tickets and coach or economy tickets with his or her personal funds.
(2) 
Personal Automobiles. Mileage reimbursement will be based on mileage from the work location office to the off-site location of the official business, not from the employee's or officer's residence. When attending a training event or other off-site official business directly from an employee's or officer's residence, no reimbursement will be made if the distance is less than the mileage of a normal commute to the workplace. If the distance is higher than the employee's or officer's normal commute, reimbursement will be paid based on the differential of the commute less the mileage of a normal commute to the workplace. An employee or officer will be reimbursed at the prevailing IRS mileage rate. The traveler will only be reimbursed up to the price of a coach airfare ticket if they drive to a location for which airfare would have been less expensive.
(3) 
Automobile Rentals. Travelers will be reimbursed for the cost of renting an automobile, including gasoline expense, only as provided in this section. Travelers using rental cars to conduct official business are required to purchase insurance through the rental agency. Car rental insurance will cover the vehicle during personal use, e.g., using the vehicle after the conference has ended. Compact or mid-size cars are required for two or fewer employees or officers traveling together and a full-size vehicle may be used for three or more travelers. The traveler must refuel the vehicle before returning it to the rental company.
(4) 
Public Transportation. In the case of local training or official business where an employee or officer chooses to use public transportation, reimbursement for use of public transportation is based on mileage from the agency office to the training site (not from the traveler's residence), regardless of the transportation method chosen. When attending training or business directly from an employee's or officer's residence, no reimbursement will be made if the distance is less than the mileage of a normal commute to the workplace. If the distance is higher than the traveler's normal commute, reimbursement will be paid at the differential of the commute less the mileage of a normal commute to the workplace.
(5) 
Other Transportation. The traveler should utilize hotel shuttle service or other shuttle services, if available. If none are offered, the use of the most economic transportation is encouraged.
(6) 
Hotel/Motel Accommodations. The traveler will be reimbursed for a standard single room at locations convenient to the business activity. In the event of a change in plans or a cancellation, the traveler must cancel the hotel/motel reservation so as not to incur cancellation charges. Cancellation charges will not be reimbursed by the Village unless approved by a vote of the Board of Trustees.
(7) 
Meals. Meal reimbursement is limited to the current U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) regulations in place at the time the expense is incurred. Prior approval by the Board of Trustees and submission of receipts are required for per diem allowances. Meals provided by the conference or seminar should be deducted from the per diem allowance. Partial reimbursement may be made for departure and return days based on time. Meals during in-state travel that is not an overnight stay will be reimbursed for actual cost not to exceed the GSA regulations.
(8) 
Vacation in Conjunction with Business Travel. In cases where vacation time is added to a business trip, any cost variance in airfare, car rental, lodging and/or any other expenses must be clearly identified on the Travel, Meal, and Lodging Expense Report Form[1] and paid by the traveler.
[1]
Editor's Note: Attachment 1, Travel, Meal, and Lodging Expense Report Form, is included as an attachment to this chapter.
(9) 
Accompanied Travel. When a traveler is accompanied by others not on official business, any lodging, transportation, meals or other expenses above those incurred for the authorized traveler will not be reimbursed by the Village.
(10) 
Parking. Parking fees at a hotel/motel, conference center, or other site will be reimbursed only with a receipt.
(11) 
Entertainment Expenses. No employee or officer of the Village shall be reimbursed for any entertainment expense, unless ancillary to the purpose of the program, event or other official business.
(E) 
Approval of Expenses.
(1) 
Expenses for Members of Board of Trustees. All travel, meal, and lodging expenses incurred by any member of the Board of Trustees must be approved by roll call vote at an open meeting of the Board of Trustees.
(2) 
Expenses for Officials or Employees Other than Members of the Board of Trustees. Travel, meal, and lodging expenses incurred by any official or employee not covered by Subsection (E)(1) (member of Board of Trustees) that is in excess of the maximum allowable reimbursement, as defined in Subsection (B) of this policy, must be approved by roll call vote at an open meeting of the Board of Trustees.
(3) 
Advanced Expenses. Travel, meal, and lodging expenses advanced as a per diem to any employee or official of the Village must be approved by roll call vote at an open meeting of Board of Trustees prior to payment. Documentation of expenses must be provided in accordance with Subsections (C), (D) and (F) of this policy, and any excess from the per diem must be repaid.
(4) 
Other Expenses. All other expenses that do not fall within Subsection (E)(1), (2), or (3) are subject to the President's approval.
(F) 
Documentation of Expenses.
(1) 
Before an expense for travel, meals, or lodging may be approved under Subsection (E) of this policy, the following minimum documentation must first be submitted, in writing, to the President on a Travel, Meal, and Lodging Expense form:
(a) 
An estimate of the cost of travel, meals, or lodging if expenses have not yet been incurred or a receipt of the cost of the travel, meals, or lodging if the expenses have already been incurred;
(b) 
The name of the individual who received or is requesting the travel, meal, or lodging expense;
(c) 
The job title or office of the individual who received or is requesting the travel, meal, or lodging expense; and
(d) 
The date or dates and nature of the official business for which the travel, meal, or lodging expense was or will be expended.
(2) 
All documents and information submitted in connection with this policy are public records subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: See 5 ILCS 140/1 et seq.
(G) 
Travel, Meal, and Lodging Expense Report Form. The Village hereby adopts as its official standardized form for the submission of travel, meal, and lodging expenses the Travel, Meal, and Lodging Expense Report form attached hereto and incorporated herein as Attachment 1.[3]
[3]
Editor's Note: Attachment 1 is included as an attachment to this chapter.