Personal reimbursement is for entertainment and travel ONLY. All other expenses should be done through a Procard, UT Market, or purchase order.
Please give your receipts to the travel administrator after travel is complete. Reimbursements must be processed within 30 days of the last day of travel. Timing of reimbursements is regulated by the IRS.
Before processing a reimbursement for entertainment expenses, the department must have the following items (no exceptions):
1) Name, EID and Mailing Address of individual or business being reimbursed (mailing address where the reimbursement should be sent).
2) Itemized Receipt and Proof of Purchase on ALL items for which reimbursement is being requested. BOTH receipts are required.
Note: Proof of payment receipt shows the total (with tip, if applicable) and the total amount paid: $40.00 subtotal + $8.00 tip = $48.00 paid via cash or credit card.
3) Official Occasion Expense Form information including date, location, attendees and their titles, purpose, benefit, and average cost per person.
Meals
Payment for meals is reimbursed only for official visitors, including prospective faculty and invited lecturers, and other official occasions as defined above. The Cockrell School has established the average per‐person reimbursement limits for meals (See below). Departments may establish lower reimbursement limits.
The meal limits include tax and tip (up to 20% of the pretax subtotal) regardless of account used for payment. The “No Sales Tax” rule does not apply when you are eating at a restaurant but does for takeout or catered events. Tax is not reimbursable for takeout or catered events. In such cases, a University of Texas Tax Exempt Form must be given to the vendor.
Meal limits per person:
Breakfast: $25/person
Lunch: $30/person
Dinner/Reception: $75/person
Expenses for alcohol may not be the primary expenditure submitted for reimbursement, that is, greater than 50% of the total expense. In general, alcohol only expenses will not be reimbursed except in development meetings with donors or prospective donors. The justification for alcohol only reimbursement must be documented on the Official Occasion Expense Form.
Attendees at faculty recruiting meals should be limited to the number who can reasonably interact with the faculty candidate. Meals generally should involve no more than four people (the candidate and three faculty members) or a total of six people if inclusion of spouses is justified.
Reimbursement for spouses or guests at a business meeting or meal is almost always not appropriate. There are special circumstances that allow reimbursement, such as during recruiting visits, provided the faculty recruit brings his/her own spouse or guest. Reimbursements for children are not appropriate, except for justified development purposes.
Reimbursement for alcohol is not allowed on any student recruiting visits.
Meals with colleagues and/or staff are almost always not reimbursable expenses. However, there may be special circumstances that justify reimbursement. For example, if a meeting must occur during the lunch hour because the conflicting schedules of the participants prevent the meeting at any other times, this expense is reimbursable.
For more information please consult the Handbook of Business Procedures.
