How will the new law affect travel to national conventions?
All employee travel to national conventions must comply with the travel restrictions in Chapter 53. If a national convention is being held at a convention hotel, school employees may be eligible for reimbursement for the full cost of lodging, even if the hotel’s rates exceed the federal per diem rates. If the convention hotel is full and the registrant must go to an overflow hotel, the registrant may still be reimbursed at the full cost for lodging of the convention hotel or the overflow hotel, whichever is less. However, if the national conventions are NOT being held at a convention hotel, then the participant may only be reimbursed at the federal per diem rate. NAESP’s national convention for 2008 is being held in Nashville, Tennessee from April 4 – 8, 2008. NASSP’s national convention for 2008 is being held February 22 – 24 in San Antonio, Texas. NJPSA is seeking clarification from the NJDOE as to when a hotel may be considered the convention hotel under Chapter 53. This will impact
