Receipts and others
No expense will be reimbursed to an employee unless the individual requesting reimbursement submits valid receipts with the Expense Report. Expense reimbursements / PCard transactions over $25 must include a valid receipt. A valid receipt is the original vendor receipt that includes the vendors name, description of the item purchased or service provided, the transaction date, and total expense, including tips (if applicable). A screenshot of your credit card statement does not count as a valid receipt. A valid receipt is an original vendor receipt (not credit card receipts or statements) showing the vendor’s name, a description of the services provided (if not otherwise obvious), the date, and the total expenses, including tips (if applicable). In limited circumstances, expenses not exceeding $50 will be reimbursed without written receipts. In these circumstances, the employee must provide detail of the expense incurred and the reason a written receipt is not available. When traveling abroad, in areas where receipts are not necessarily standard practice, a valid substitute will contain, at a minimum:
- Specific details of the expense paid (date, amount, payee)
- Business purpose/reason for the expense, including individual names for whom expenses were incurred, if applicable
- Signature / acknowledgement of receipt by payee
- Currency conversion to US dollars, if applicable
University Credit Cards
Employees in possession of a University-issued credit card are expected to adhere to strict guidelines for its use. Only legitimate business expenses of the University will be charged to the card. Substantiation of charges to a University-issued credit card must meet the same requirements as expenses to be reimbursed via Expense Report. See requirements described above under Expense Reports. Charges may not be made for Non-reimbursable Expenditures as described below. Failure to meet the Expense Report requirements or making of inappropriate charges will result in loss of the credit card and disciplinary action.
Cash Advance Requests
Typically, cash advances are to be used for travel expenses. Cash advances cannot be issued from Donor Restricted Project Funds. If Donor Funds will be used to cover the expenses, the cash advance must come from a department budget line initially, to be reimbursed by Donor Funds upon submission of receipts. To request a cash advance, employees must complete a check request form (available from Accounts Payable) with the appropriate approvals and department account number for the amount of cash required. Upon return to campus, the employee must bring all relevant receipts and excess cash to Accounts Payable for processing, indicating the account number(s) to which the expenses should be charged.
Employees must complete and submit the check request form immediately upon return to campus.
Additional cash advances will not be issued until the prior one has been cleared.
If an employee has an outstanding cash advance as of December 31, per IRS guidelines, the amount of the advance will be added to that employee’s gross earning for that calendar year.
Documentation related to all cash advances for the current fiscal year (July 1 – June 30) must be turned in no later than June 30. Any cash turned in after June 30 for the prior fiscal year will not be applied to the department account that was charged.
General Travel Requirements
Necessity of Travel: In determining the reasonableness and necessity of travel expenses, employees and the person authorizing the travel shall consider the ways in which the University will benefit from the travel and weigh those benefits against the anticipated costs of the travel. The same considerations shall be taken into account in deciding whether the benefits to the University outweigh the costs. Less expensive alternatives, such as participation by telephone or video conferencing, or the availability of local programs or training opportunities, shall be considered.
Personal Travel Expenses
With advance approval from the employee’s supervisor, individuals traveling on behalf of the University may incorporate personal travel or business with their business-related trips. However, employees shall not arrange business travel at a time that is less advantageous to the University or involving greater expense to the University in order to accommodate personal travel plans. Any additional expenses incurred as a result of personal travel, including but not limited to extra hotel nights, additional stopovers, meals or transportation, are the sole responsibility of the individual and will not be reimbursed by the University.
Spouse/Companion Travel Expenses
The University will not reimburse expenses associated with travel of an employee’s spouse or other non-employee accompanying the employee on business, unless there is a valid business purpose for their travel and the travel was pre-approved by the employee’s supervisor. Prior approval must be documented and included in the employee’s Expense Report. If a non-employee accompanies an employee on a trip, it is the responsibility of the employee to determine any added cost for double occupancy and related expenses and to make the appropriate adjustment in the reimbursement request.
Air Travel General:
Air travel reservations should be made as far in advance as possible in order to take advantage of reduced fares.
Frequent Flyer Miles and Compensation for Denied Boarding
Employees traveling on behalf of the University may accept and retain frequent flyer miles and compensation for denied boarding for their personal use. Individuals may not deliberately patronize a single airline to accumulate frequent flyer miles if less expensive comparable tickets are available on another airline.
Lodging
Employees traveling on behalf of Greenville University may be reimbursed at the single room rate for the reasonable cost of hotel accommodations. Convenience, the cost of staying in the city in which the hotel is located, and proximity to other venues on the individual’s itinerary shall be considered in determining reasonableness. Employees shall make use of available corporate and discount rates for hotels. When accommodations have been arranged by the University and the employee elects to stay elsewhere, reimbursement is made at the amount no higher than the rate negotiated by the University. Reimbursement shall not be made for transportation between the alternate lodging and the meeting site.
Out-Of-Town Meals
Employees traveling on behalf of the University will be reimbursed for meals while traveling, as long as the meal expense is reasonable. Reimbursement will require a receipt as described above, under Receipts.
Ground Transportation
Employees are expected to use the most economical ground transportation appropriate under the circumstances and should generally use the following, in this order of desirability:
Courtesy Cars-Many hotels have courtesy cars, which will take you to and from the airport at no charge. Employees should take advantage of this free service whenever possible. Another alternative may be a shuttle or bus.
Taxis-. When courtesy cars and airport shuttles are not available, a taxi is often the next most economical and convenient form of transportation when the trip is for a limited time and minimal mileage is involved.
Rental Cars-. Car rentals are expensive so other forms of transportation should be considered when practical. Employees will be allowed to rent a car while out of town provided that the cost is less than alternative methods of transportation.
Personal Cars
When traveling on University business, use of the University fleet vehicles is required unless there are extenuating circumstances. (See University Vehicles in the Staff & Administrative Staff Handbook.) When a fleet vehicle is not available, employees will be compensated for use of their personal car. When individuals use their personal car for such travel, mileage will be reimbursed at the rate of $0.40 per mile.
In the case of individuals using their personal cars to take a trip that would normally be made by air, mileage will be allowed at the currently approved rate; however, the total mileage reimbursement will not exceed the sum of the lowest available round-trip coach airfare.
The University will not be responsible for any damage to an employee’s personal vehicle while on University business.
Entertainment and Business Meetings
Reasonable expenses incurred for business meetings or other types of business-related entertainment will be reimbursed only if the expenditures are approved in advance by the employee’s supervisor. Detailed documentation for any such expense must be provided, including:
• Date and place of entertainment
• Nature of expense
• Name, titles, and business affiliation of those entertained
• A complete description of the business purpose for the activity including the specific business matter discussed
• Vendor receipts (not credit card receipts or statements) showing the vendor’s name, a description of the services provided, the date, and the total expenses, including tips (if applicable)
Non-reimbursable Expenditures
Greenville University maintains a strict policy that expenses of a personal nature will not be reimbursed. Expenses in any category that could be perceived as lavish or excessive will not be reimbursed. Following is a list of expenses which will not be reimbursed, although limited exceptions may be made in extenuating circumstances. Check with your supervisor or the finance office staff for clarification The following list of non-reimbursable expenses is not all-inclusive:
• Travel insurance
• First class tickets or upgrades
• Limousine travel
• Movies, liquor, or bar costs
• Membership dues at any country club, private club, athletic club, golf club, tennis club, or similar recreational organization
• Participation in or attendance at sporting events, without the advance approval of the employee’s supervisor
• Purchase of golf clubs or any other sporting equipment
• Spa or exercise charges
• Clothing or toiletries
• Business conferences and entertainment which are not approved by the employee’s supervisor
• Valet service
• Personal automobile insurance, car washes, repairs/maintenance
• Parking tickets, fines, or traffic violations
• Expenses for travel companions/family members
• Charitable donations
• Credit card late fees or finance charges
• Loss or theft of cash advance, personal funds, or property
• Luggage and briefcases
• Expenses not substantiated or approved in accordance with the requirements of this policy