EMPLOYEE TRANSIT SUBSIDY REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM (REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM)

Updated June 30, 2026

The Personnel Department, Employee Benefits Division offers the Reimbursement Program to eligible City employees, which provides a nontaxable subsidy of up to $100 per month to City employees who commute to work via public transit (bus, commuter train, or light rail) and submit the required documentation.

REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM RULES AND PROCEDURES

  1. Employees may be reimbursed for their transit commuting expenses of up to 100 per month (maximum). Should the monthly expense be less than 100, the reimbursement will be for the amount for which valid proof of purchase(s) for public transit has been submitted.

  2. Reimbursement requests are submitted through the COMMUTEwell online portal at LACOMMUTEwell.com/tsrform. The submission deadline for each month's reimbursement request is the tenth working day of the following month (excludes weekends and City holidays). Reimbursement requests received after the 10th working day deadline (including submissions that require correction) are considered "late claims." Late claims are eligible for reimbursement so long as the claim and all required documentation is submitted no later than the due date for the following month. Late claims will be reimbursed as soon as administratively practical. Please note that reimbursement requests submitted via paper may require an additional pay period to process. In addition, late claims may also interrupt eligibility for occasional parking.

  3. Employees who are enrolled in the pre‐tax TSA program through HealthEquity, but want to participate in the Reimbursement Program must terminate their TSA enrollment and exhaust their accumulated TSA balance before they can participate in the Reimbursement Program.

  4. Employees should ensure that their reimbursement request is correctly completed in its entirety and valid proof(s) of public transit purchase(s) are uploaded. Submission of the reimbursement request and valid proof(s) of public transit must be legible. An incomplete reimbursement request and non-legible supporting documentation will not be processed.

  5. Transit subsidy reimbursements are scheduled to be included on your City paycheck on the first payday of the month following the monthly submission deadline. Refer to the Transit Subsidy Reimbursement Calendar at LACOMMUTEwell.com/tsrprogramcalendar for further details on the timeline of reimbursements. The reimbursement appears on your City paycheck stub in the Earnings and Other Compensation column, with the code listed as TB and the description listed as Transit Benefit.

  6. Employees with approved transit subsidy reimbursement may be eligible for occasional parking at Lot 7 for up to three times per month at no cost as determined by COMMUTEwell program staff. Occasional parking is not guaranteed and is subject to space availability. The City cannot guarantee its ongoing availability. Occasional parking is not available for parking permit holders (except in the case of approved Carpool permits). Lot 7 access must be requested via Occasional Parking Request form.

  7. Reimbursement amounts may be adjusted by COMMUTEwell program staff on employee paychecks if it is determined that errors and/or overpayments occurred.

  8. The Reimbursement Program Rules and Procedures are subject to periodic updates and clarifications at any time. Periodic audits of reimbursement requests will be conducted, which may include review of employee timesheets. Fraudulent transit subsidy reimbursement submissions may result in disciplinary action.

Acceptable Proof for Transit Subsidy Reimbursement

Updates Effective May 15, 2026:

  • Screenshots of account activity and digital receipts are now accepted as valid proof (provided they comply with the requirements detailed below).

  • Photos of the back of TAP cards are no longer required when submitting receipts for new or reloaded TAP cards.

Overview

To qualify for reimbursement, employees must provide third-party documentation that verifies the purchase of public transportation fares. All proof must clearly display the merchant name, date of transaction, and total amount paid.

Purchase Timing

Reimbursements are processed monthly and are based on date of purchase, not date of use. Funds or passes purchased in a given month count toward that month’s reimbursement, regardless of when the rides occur.

  • Standard fare and stored value: Must be purchased within the calendar month for which reimbursement is requested.

  • Monthly passes: May be purchased up to seven (7) days before the effective month. Example: A February Monthly Pass is eligible if purchased between January 25 and February 28.

Acceptable Forms of Proof

  • Digital receipts — Email confirmations, PDF receipts, or electronic invoices from a transit agency or commuter service.

  • Physical ticket scans — Clear photos or scans of paper tickets, passes, or fare cards showing the date and fare amount.

  • Account activity reports — Screenshots or exported transaction histories from a transit website or app (e.g., reload or payment history).

Requirements

  • Legibility: Blurry, pixelated, or cropped documentation will be returned for resubmission.

  • Source: Proof must be generated by a transit provider. Handwritten notes, manual logs, and self-prepared spreadsheets are not accepted.

  • Content: Documentation must confirm a financial transaction. A photo of a transit card alone is not proof of payment — proof must show the funds or pass loaded onto the card.

Account Ownership

Reimbursement is available only for transit purchases made by the employee. This benefit cannot be transferred to or shared with family members, roommates, or others.

  • Named documentation: Any name on the receipt or transit account must match the employee’s name on file.

  • Unnamed receipts: Anonymous purchases (kiosk paper tickets, unregistered TAP cards) are acceptable if all other requirements are met.

  • Third-party purchases: Passes purchased by another individual, or registered to another individual’s transit account, are not eligible — even if the employee reimbursed that person directly.

Reminder About the TSA Program Option

The City offers a PRE‐TAX Transit Spending Account (TSA) program through HealthEquity that employees can enroll in via payroll deductions and use towards public transit expenses. The TSA program also provides an automatic transit match of up to $100 per month, eliminating the need to complete and submit a reimbursement request and receipts. Learn more about the TSA program and how to enroll at: LACOMMUTEwell.com/TSAProgram.