Travel Meals and Business Meals
Travel meals are those taken by the individual employee while travelling on University business. Business meals are meals taken with visitors, colleagues, donors, etc., during which specific business discussions take place. Such meals may take place locally or while traveling on University business. Employees will be reimbursed based upon reasonable actual costs within the Travel/Business Expense Guidelines.
- The following per person guidelines apply for both travel meals and business meals and include amounts for taxes and gratuities. The amounts are updated as of September 1, 2008:
- Breakfast $ 20.00
- Lunch $ 25.00
- Dinner $ 45.00
- Meals taken between two or more University employees during which routine business issues are discussed are generally not reimbursable from any University funding source. We encourage all employees to use their judgment as to when such meals are non routine and therefore could be reimbursable by the University. Whenever possible, those meals should be held at the Faculty Club.
- Meal expenditures outside of the guidelines require a senior officer approval.
Alcohol
The cost of alcoholic beverages is not a reimbursable travel expense. Travel expenses are included in the indirect cost rate calculation and, therefore, may not include alcohol. Unless specifically provided for in an award, federal regulations prohibit the University from reimbursing any expenditure for alcoholic beverages with federal funds.
Meal Reimbursement Requirements - Actual
Reimbursement for meals is on the basis of actual and reasonable costs. Refer to the Annual Spending Guidelines for meal spending guidelines. The guideline represents the average amount considered adequate for meal expenses and is not to be considered a fixed amount if expenses are less. Amounts in excess of the guideline require an explanation and approval by a Senior Officer.
Meal claims must be itemized by date, meal and actual amount (including tip). An original receipt (cash register or credit card receipt) is required for any meal costing $50.00 or greater. Restaurant tear tabs are not a valid receipt. Travel receipts are required for all business meals and entertainment expenses, regardless of the amount spent.
If all or a portion of the meals are covered by a conference registration fee, it is expected the traveler will adjust spending accordingly.
Meal Reimbursement Requirements - Per Diem
Beginning Monday, August 3, the use of domestic per diems by University faculty and staff for meals and lodging will no longer be an allowable option. Itemized meal and lodging expenses will be required for reimbursement, with receipts required for individual expenses over $50.00. The use of per diems for foreign travel is still permitted, however in the interest of cost savings to the University, we ask that the use of per diems be limited to those instances where receipts are not readily available.
Reimbursement on a per diem basis is the payment of a flat sum to cover meal and incidental expenses each day in lieu of a statement of actual cost. Per diem reimbursement is advantageous in circumstances where a traveler's actual expenses are difficult to separate from those of a group sharing costs or when the record keeping involved in actual reimbursement would be unusually cumbersome.
Travelers who use a per diem allowance do not have to substantiate each meal expense but they must demonstrate that the trip occurred with a receipt, such as an airline receipt or hotel folio, that indicates the dates of travel.
The meal per diem amount is based on Federal Travel Regulation guidelines in effect and varies by city. Per diem rates are available by accessing the World Wide Web at the following locations:
For US cities: http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?contentId=17943&contentType=GSA_BASIC
For foreign cities: http://aoprals.state.gov/content.asp?content_id=184&menu_id=78
If a meal has been paid for as part of a registration fee or included in the hotel rate, a deduction must be made from the per diem allowance based on the following percentages 15% - breakfast, 25% - lunch, 60% - dinner. Partial days of travel also require the per diem allowance to be prorated based on these percentages.