Reimbursements

All allowable reimbursements requests should be processed according to the procedures outlined in the UH System Administrative Memoranda and UHD policy statements. 

A. Advance Approval  

• Advance approval is required depending on the expense which is going to be incurred and a request for reimbursement will be submitted.

B. Request for Reimbursement and Supervisor Approval

• The documentation must include a signed or e-mailed request for reimbursement from the person being reimbursed, which will serve to indicate that the out-of-pocket expense was incurred by them, directly benefits the university, and has not been previously reimbursed.

• The documentation must include the signature or e-mail approval of the supervisor or unit head. Note: Faculty member reimbursements must be approved by their academic supervisor, regardless of funding source. 

C. Documentation of the Expenditure

• Reimbursement requests must be supported by an original itemized receipt, which consists of a merchant produced or non-university document that records the payment and the relevant details for each item purchased including quantities, amount, a description of what was purchased, the total charge amount, the date of purchase, and the merchant's name and address.

• If an original itemized receipt is not available, another proof of payment along with a merchant produced document (i.e., invoice, registration form, subscription, membership form, etc.) may be accepted as supporting documents for the reimbursement, as described below.

              1.  The merchant produced document must have merchant name and address, description of each item, quantity, and the total charge amount that agrees with the payment amount.

             2.  A proof of payment can be a canceled check (both front and back of check) or credit card statement. A cancelled check or credit card statement alone is not a sufficient supporting document for reimbursements. The department business office must blackout the personal account information on checks/statements before they upload the document to the finance system.

D. Deadlines for Submitting and Processing Reimbursement Requests

• Requests for non-overnight transportation reimbursement, which may be paid on local funds only, must be submitted to the department business office no more than one calendar year after the date of the first non-overnight transportation expense incurred. 

• All other requests for reimbursement, including required documentation, must be submitted to the department business office no later than 60 days after the date of purchase.

• Reimbursement requests submitted to the department after the above deadlines may not be forwarded to Accounts Payable for reimbursement, unless approved by the appropriate division vice president.

• In accordance with Internal Revenue Service requirements for an accountable plan (IRS Publication 463), all reimbursement requests submitted to the department business office after the above deadlines will be treated as taxable income to the payee. These vouchers must be routed through the Tax Department and must include a completed Taxable Payments or Reimbursements to Employees form (Exhibit B, SAM 03.D.06). On the form, "Other Taxable Wage Benefits" (Payroll Earnings Code 443) should be indicated, but the voucher should contain the appropriate accounts that describe the expense (not account 54814, Other Taxable Wage Benefits).

• The department should make every effort to submit vouchers for reimbursements to Accounts Payable as soon as possible but no later than 5 days following receipt of all required documentation. Vouchers submitted more than 5 days after the receipt of all documentation must include an explanation in the Voucher Comments section