2024-2025 Employment Handbooks

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Travel and Entertainment Policy

Purpose: To establish guidelines for travel and entertainment expenditures and ensure they comply with tax requirements.

 

Scope: All employees, students, and third parties traveling or entertaining on university business and using Greenville University funds. There are three options for funding travel on authorized business; cash advances, expense reimbursement and use of GU credit card.

 

Policy: Reimbursement will be made for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred during normal business or while traveling on authorized business. Individuals are expected to exercise the same judgement and control in incurring expenses for Greenville University that a prudent person would exercise if traveling on personal business. 

 

Cash Advances: Cash advances must be authorized by the employee’s supervisor and submitted to Concur at least ten (10) business days prior to departure. Within ten (10) days upon return, the employee must submit all remaining cash and receipts for expenditures to the Finance Office. Should an employee leave GU’s employment while there is an outstanding balance due, the amount will be deducted from the employee’s final pay.

 

Personal Expense Reimbursement: When employees use their personal funds for authorized GU business purposes, GU will reimburse only reasonable and necessary expenses actually incurred by employees in the course of business activities that have both proper documentation and supervisor approval.

  1. Receipts for Personal Expense Reimbursement: Receipts are required for all personal expenses reimbursed by GU to the employee. Receipts must be submitted to Concur, and upon departmental and supervisor’s approval, the employee will be reimbursed.

  • If reimbursement for travel is requested, the date, origin, destination, and purpose of the trip must be included.

  • For all other expenditures, the business purpose must be listed.

  1. Use of Personal Vehicle: When individuals use their personal vehicle for GU business, including travel to and from the airport, mileage will be allowed at the currently approved IRS rate per mile. In the case of an employee using their personal vehicle to take a trip that would normally be taken by air, mileage will be allowed at the current IRS approved rate; however, the total mileage reimbursed will not exceed the sum of the lowest available round trip coach airfare. The employee will not receive reimbursement for traveling to and from work.

  1. It is the responsibility of the Finance Office to question any expense that looks out of the ordinary and that is not properly documented. Questionable items or incorrect reporting may result in the reimbursement request being partially paid or returned to the employee for correction. GU reserves the right to terminate and retrieve financial loss from any employee submitting a fraudulent report for reimbursement.

 

University Credit Cards: Issuance of credit cards will be at the discretion of the Executive Cabinet but should be limited to employees who regularly have business-related expenses including travel. Each card will be limited to a maximum of $3,000. Increases to the established maximum may be made on a case-by-case basis by the Finance Office with supervisor’s approval.

 

 

  1. Terms and Conditions: 

  • While the credit card will be issued in the name of the employee (Cardholder), the card remains the property of Greenville University at all times.

  • The Cardholder will not allow any unauthorized person to use the card and is considered responsible for all charges against the card. 

  • The credit card is for approved purchases only and may not be used for personal purchases.

  • Improper use of this card can be considered a misappropriation of company funds. This may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment. 

  • The Cardholder agrees to surrender the card immediately upon termination of employment, whether for retirement, voluntary or involuntary reasons.

  • Cash advances on the credit card are not allowed.

  • The Cardholder should make every effort to ensure purchases do not include sales tax. Purchasing and sales tax exemption details can be found on Campus Services Solutions.

  • The Cardholder will always keep the card and its PIN secure. If the credit card is lost or stolen, or if the Cardholder suspects the card, account number or PIN has been compromised, the Cardholder is responsible to notify Cardmember Service at 877-529-0473 and the Finance Office immediately.

  • Failure to comply with the terms and conditions, including failure to submit timely reports, will result in the loss of credit card privileges.  

  1. University Credit Card Expense Reports: The Cardholder must submit monthly credit card expense reports in Concur within five (5) business days of the statement date, due typically by the 5th day of the month following when charges are incurred.

  • Receipts for University Credit Card Charges: Receipts are required for all expenses over $50.00. They are to be uploaded and attached to appropriate credit card charges. If a receipt cannot be located, one must be obtained from the merchant.

  •   

General Travel Guidelines

  1. Personal Travel and Spousal Expenses: Employees may incorporate personal travel with their business-related trips; however, employee shall not arrange business travel at a time that is less advantageous to GU or involving greater expense to GU to accommodate personal travel plans. GU reserves the right to obtain payment from an employee for any additional expenses incurred as a result of personal travel including, but not limited to, airfare, extra hotel nights, meals, additional stopovers, transportation, or extra days of rental car.

 

  1. Ground Transportation: Employee is expected to use the most economical ground transportation appropriate under the circumstances.

 

  1. University-Owned Vehicles: Employees may use university-owned vehicles for business-related purposes. Employees must be an approved driver and hold a valid driver’s license, and only employees on the approved driver list may drive university-owned vehicles. 

  1. Rental Cars: The University has a pricing contract with Enterprise & National through our membership of the E&I Cooperative. These rates include a young renter add-on, allowing student drivers 18-24 years old on the GU Approved Driver List. This contract only applies to university-related business and is not to be used for personal travel. Use contract number 01A0383 when making your reservation. Only employees on the approved driver list may secure rental cars, and they should only be driven by the employee(s) listed on the rental agreement.

  1. Uber/Lyft: Employees may use Uber, Lyft, or similar type transportation when convenient and economically feasible.

 

  1. Non-reimbursable Expenditures: GU maintains a policy that expenses in any category that could be perceived as lavish or excessive will not be reimbursed. Expenses that are not reimbursable include, but are not limited to:

  • Expenses for spouses, friends, or relatives. If a spouse, friend or relative accompanies the 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.

  • First class tickets, upgrades, or travel insurance

  • Parking violations

  • Travel violations, including toll roads

  • Limousine travel

  • Valet service

  • Car washes

  • Alcoholic beverages or tobacco products

  • Movies

  • Reading material

  • Toiletry items

  • Clothing 

  • Membership dues at any country club, private club, athletic club, golf club, tennis club or similar recreational organization

  • Spa or exercise charges

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