We are a contractor doing some work in an area the has several counties surrounding the worksite. We have 3 employees who are all staying in different counties. Do we use the per diem rate for the area where the employee is staying (hotel address), or the per diem rate for the worksite?

Hotel site

How else would you match up the receipts to the per diem? I ran into this when working around Atlanta, the rate for the county I worked in was higher but used the per diem rate for the hotel. Although the few extra bucks a day for meals would be nice, but I'd have no way of explaining why I paid the hotel the set per diem rate of $70 but received $130 at the ATL rate (It's been a few years, sure it's changed).

And I've never seen a situation where I received one rate for hotel and another for meals (not saying it's wrong, just never seen it).

The correct answer is to use the lodging and M&IE rates for the locality where the person has been assigned, regardless of where the lodging is located.

Where there are multiple locations in a single day (e.g., when there is a stopover point en route) then use the location where the individual is at midnight.

?301-11.7 What determines my maximum per diem reimbursement rate?

Your TDY location determines your maximum per diem reimbursement rate. If you arrive at your lodging location after 12 midnight, you claim lodging cost for the preceding calendar day. If no lodging is required, the applicable M&IE reimbursement rate is the rate for the TDY location.

?301-11.102 What is the applicable M&IE rate?

For days of travel which require lodging

Your applicable M&IE rate is the M&IE rate applicable for the TDY location or stopover point.

Do not require lodging, and travel is more than 12 hours but less than 24 hours.

Your applicable M&IE rate is the M&IE rate applicable to the TDY site or the highest M&IE rate applicable when multiple locations are involved).

Travel is 24 hours or more, and you are traveling to a new TDY site or stopover point at midnight.

Your applicable M&IE rate is the M&IE rate applicable to the new TDY site or stopover point.

Travel is 24 hours or more, and you are returning to your official station.

Your applicable M&IE rate is the M&IE rate applicable to the previous day of travel.

Hope this helps.

The correct answer is to use the lodging and M&IE rates for the locality where the person has been assigned, regardless of where the lodging is located.

Where there are multiple locations in a single day (e.g., when there is a stopover point en route) then use the location where the individual is at midnight.

?301-11.7 What determines my maximum per diem reimbursement rate?

Your TDY location determines your maximum per diem reimbursement rate. If you arrive at your lodging location after 12 midnight, you claim lodging cost for the preceding calendar day. If no lodging is required, the applicable M&IE reimbursement rate is the rate for the TDY location.

?301-11.102 What is the applicable M&IE rate?

For days of travel which require lodging

Your applicable M&IE rate is the M&IE rate applicable for the TDY location or stopover point.

Do not require lodging, and travel is more than 12 hours but less than 24 hours.

Your applicable M&IE rate is the M&IE rate applicable to the TDY site or the highest M&IE rate applicable when multiple locations are involved).

Travel is 24 hours or more, and you are traveling to a new TDY site or stopover point at midnight.

Your applicable M&IE rate is the M&IE rate applicable to the new TDY site or stopover point.

Travel is 24 hours or more, and you are returning to your official station.

Your applicable M&IE rate is the M&IE rate applicable to the previous day of travel.

Hope this helps.

I agree with here_2_help. Just adding another reference as per JTR Vol II Chapter 4 para C4550, "The per diem rate is determined based on the traveler's TDY location, not the lodging location."