Department Policy Number
200 002
Effective Date
February 1, 2006
January 1, 2004
We will be phasing in the use of the electronic expense claim (AUEX) submission
process over the next 6 months. The AUEX system provides claimants with 24 hour
access to claims history and current processing status and speeds approval turnaround
and processing time providing University policies have been met. Training and
development initiatives are in progress and all employees will be notified when
the improvements to our service through electronic acceptance and approval of
claims is fully implemented as the standard University process.
Purpose
To outline procedures to reimburse CUPE Local 3911 members for University related travel and out-of-pocket business expenses.
Definitions
Allowance - non-taxable method of reimbursement of cost incurred for telephone and internet expenses for tutoring based on assessment of costs including GST.
Tutor - when not modified, the word "tutor" refers to individualized study tutors, academic experts and markers.
Individualized study tutors, academic experts, markers and grouped study course tutors (group study course tutors include study circle tutors) are designated in the collective agreement between Athabasca University and CUPE Local 3911.
Office supplies - consumable office supplies with the exception of black ink cartridges (e.g. paper, pens, pencils, binders, document holder, paperclips, log or exercise book, staples, hole punch, post-it-notes, wastebasket, postage scale).
Canadian Association of University Business Officers (CAUBO)
Policy
This policy identifies eligible administrative expenses and establishes the procedures for reimbursement of University-related travel and out-of-pocket business expenses incurred by CUPE Local 3911 staff members and to other university staff that perform tutor-related functions.
The University will at a minimum conduct an annual review of allowance rates to ensure currency.
Claims for reimbursable expenses must be submitted in a timely manner. Receipts that are older than six (6) months, except in extraordinary circumstances, will not be reimbursed.
If a request for an additional allowance is not received by the dates outlined in the procedures (Section 3.6), these claims will not be considered except in extraordinary circumstances.
Regulation
These regulations apply to CUPE local 3911 staff members and to other university staff members that perform tutor-related functions (as well as to all funds administered by the University). These regulations are based on the reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses necessarily incurred in the performance of authorized University business.
Procedure
| 1.0 | Receipts |
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| 1.1 |
Where receipts are required,
original invoices or receipts must be submitted at the same time as the
expense claim form. Charge card slips do not provide sufficient information.
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| 2.0 |
Telephone Installation |
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| 2.1 | New tutors may claim
for the actual cost of installation of a separate phone used only for tutoring/marking
purposes up to maximum of $150.00. Installation charges over the maximum
must have prior approval. This is expected to be a one-time expenditure
and original receipts are required. |
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| 2.2 |
The cost of relocating a phone
within a residence will not be reimbursed. |
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| 3.0 |
Telephone Rental |
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| 3.1 | Where a tutor does
not have a separate phone line, and uses a personal phone line for tutoring,
an allowance of $18.00 ($20.00 outside of the greater Calgary and Edmonton
metropolitan areas) will be made monthly to approximate one-half the monthly
local service fees for a basic residence touchtone telephone line with personal
voice mail and a non-published number. |
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| 3.2 | Where the tutor
uses a separate phone for tutoring, an allowance of $36.00 ($40.00 outside
of the greater Calgary and Edmonton metropolitan areas) will be made in
full each month for the monthly local service fees of a basic residential
touchtone telephone line with personal voice mail and a non-published number.
Any additional services obtained must be paid for personally. |
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| 3.3 | Where the tutor
uses high-speed Internet for tutoring (through ADSL or cable service), an
allowance of $46.00 will be made monthly to cover the costs of basic high-speed
Internet services. No installation charges will be reimbursed or allowed
for. |
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| 3.4 | Where high-speed
Internet services are not available or if, instead, the individualized study
tutor or academic expert uses a second phone line to connect to the University’s
computer system, an allowance of $30.00 ($33.00 outside the greater Calgary
and Edmonton metropolitan areas) per month will be paid to cover the monthly
local service fees of a separate basic residential touch-tone telephone
line with a non-published number. Any additional services obtained must
be paid for personally. |
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| 3.5 | Allowances for telephone
rental and high-speed Internet will be paid automatically with the regular
monthly tutor payroll and receipts are not required. |
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| 3.6 | If a tutor incurs
telephone rental or high-speed Internet services that exceed the stated
allowances, an additional allowance request may be submitted every six months
(by January 31 for July to December of the previous year, and by July 31
for January to June of the same year). The additional allowance request
must be supported with all original receipts. Extra services such as multiple
e-mail addresses and domain name registration will not be reimbursed. |
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| 3.7 | Tutors that take
leaves of three or more consecutive months will not be paid allowances for
the monthly telephone rental costs and high-speed Internet services during
the leave, and must pay for reinstallation upon return. |
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| 4.0 |
Long Distance Charges |
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| 4.1 |
Long distance charges on Athabasca
University dedicated tutor phone lines are billed directly to Athabasca
University. |
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| 4.2 |
Individualized study tutors
and academic experts who use a personal phone line for tutoring will be
reimbursed for telephone calls to students anywhere in Canada and the
United States, upon submission of original invoices. |
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| 4.3 | Telephone calls
outside of Canada and the United States will not be reimbursed. Students
living outside Canada and the United States must pay their own long distance
charges. |
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| 4.4 | The University will
not reimburse telephone costs incurred by students that phone individualized
study tutors and academic experts direct by long distance. The student should
be requested to terminate the call and call back on the 1-800 line. |
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| 5.0 |
Postage, Photocopying and Office
Supplies |
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| 5.1 | Tutors may claim
for postage charges for regular mail delivery through Canada Post upon submission
of original receipts. |
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| 5.2 | Costs for special
mail or courier services will not be reimbursed. Students requesting that
mail be forwarded to them via special mail or courier should be advised
that these items would be sent collect. |
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| 5.3 | Because of the design
and nature of AU courses, tutors are not expected to do a significant amount
of photocopying. Tutors will be reimbursed for reasonable photocopying expenses
upon submission of original receipts in situations where arrangements cannot
be made to access University equipment. Prior authorization from Learning
Services - Tutorial or Human Resources is required if a significant amount
of photocopying is anticipated. |
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| 5.4 | Tutors will be reimbursed
up to a maximum of $20.00 per month (this maximum does not include ink cartridges)
for office supplies upon submission of original receipts. Tutors will be
reimbursed upon submission of original receipts for a reasonable number
of black ink cartridges per year (color ink cartridges will not be reimbursed).
Tutors who anticipate having office supply expenses exceeding $20.00 per
month must obtain prior approval for these expenses from Learning Services
Tutorial or Human Resources. |
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| 5.5 | The University will
not reimburse tutors for the capital cost of any equipment, including furniture,
computers and other electronic equipment (e.g. printers, palm pilot). |
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| 6.0 | Administrative
Expenses - Group Study Course Tutors |
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| 6.1 |
Prior authorization from Learning
Services Collaboration is required for the reimbursement of teaching supplies. |
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| 6.2 | Group study course
tutors will be reimbursed for the reasonable photocopying expenses in situations
where arrangements cannot be made to access University equipment. Prior
authorization from Learning Services Collaboration is required when expenses
will exceed $10.00 per grouped study course. |
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| 6.3 | Group study course
tutors will be reimbursed for long distance telephone charges incurred in
the performance of duties. Note, however, that this provision does not apply
to calls for which toll-free access is available via the University's phone
system. |
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| 7.0 | Authorized
Travel - All Tutors |
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| 7.1 | Travel expenses
must be approved by the Centre Chair or Director (for individualized study
tutor, academic expert and marker expenses), Learning Services Collaboration
(for group study course expenses), or the appropriate signing authority. |
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| 8.0 |
Private Automobile |
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| 8.1 | Tutors using private
automobiles on University approved business trips may claim an allowance
of $0.44 per kilometer. Trips made to instruct a course are not considered
approved business trips, unless the travel is specifically approved in advance
by Learning Services Collaboration. In any case, a travel allowance is not
available for any trip that is less than 50 kilometers, one way. University automobile insurance coverage is in effect only when driving a University fleet vehicle and does not extend to personally-owned or rented automobiles, even if being used on University business. Standard personal automobile insurance may not provide coverage for business travel. Employees driving personally-owned vehicles while on University business must ensure that all needed automobile insurance is obtained from their insurer. An additional premium for business use may apply and any costs for this premium or losses arising from personal vehicle use (e.g., damage deductible, loss of personal effects, increased premiums due to accidents while on University business) will not be separately reimbursed, as they are considered an operating cost to be reimbursed using the standard per kilometre amount. |
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| 9.0 | Meals |
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| 9.1 | Where an employee
is required to travel on University business, per diem meal allowances may
be claimed as follows with no requirement to provide receipts: |
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| (a) |
Travel within Canada |
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| Breakfast |
C$10.00 |
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| Lunch | C$15.00 | |||
| Dinner | C$25.00 |
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| (b) | International Travel
(Outside of Canada) |
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| Breakfast |
C$15.00 |
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| Lunch | C$25.00 | |||
| Dinner | C$35.00 |
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| 9.2 |
Per diem meal allowances may
be claimed only by individual employees for themselves. |
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| 9.3 | For round trips
of ten (10) hours or less, only the lunch allowance will ordinarily be paid. |
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| 10.0 | Accommodation |
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| 10.1 | Reimbursement for
hotels, motels and other accommodation should be limited to reasonable amounts
and cannot exceed the single occupancy rate. Tutors are encouraged to stay
in hotels listed on the Canadian Association of University Business Officers
(CAUBO) website at http://www.caubo.ca/
and the "Procurement" and "Hotels" links. |
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| 10.2 |
Hotel or motel official receipts
are required for reimbursement, as charge card slips do not provide sufficient
information. |
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| 10.3 | Where employees
make private arrangements for accommodation (e.g., staying with friends,
relatives or colleagues) an allowance of $25.00 per night is allowed with
no requirement for receipts. |
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| 11.0 | Incidentals |
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| 11.1 | An incidental expense
allowance of $10.00 can be claimed for personal expenses for each full day
(24 hours) on travel status, with no requirement for receipts. |
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| 11.2 | This incidental
expense allowance is intended to cover local business telephone calls, one
personal phone call and other incidental business-related expenses that
are incurred. |
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| 11.3 |
Long distance business phone
calls will be reimbursed if the calls are for business and are supported
with invoices. |
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| 12.0 | Public
Transportation and Parking |
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| 12.1 | A tutor performing
University business that is separate from tutoring and grouped study instruction
may claim in total each day without receipts for reimbursement of the following
expenditures, if incurred: |
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| a. | parking $15.00 | |||
| b. | intra-city public transportation $15.00 | |||
| c. | taxi fares $25.00 |
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| 12.2 | Taxi fares or parking
costs in excess of maximums outlined in 12.1 will be reimbursed on submission
of receipts if the expenses are incurred for University business that is
separate from tutoring and group study instruction. |
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| 13.0 | Expense
Claim Procedures |
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| 13.1 | Expense claims should
not be submitted for monthly allowances. |
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| 13.2 | Expense claims should
be submitted monthly directly to Human Resources on appropriate forms and
in accordance with expense claim cut-off dates. |
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| 13.3 | Expense claims for
group study courses should be submitted to Learning Services Collaboration
for approval. The claims will be forwarded to Human Resources for processing
according to the usual cutoff dates. |
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| 13.4 | For CUPE employees
and other staff who tutor, expense claims will be paid with the regular
monthly payroll cheques. |
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| 13.5 | All items should
be supported by original receipts, proof of prior approval if required and
listed on the expense claim form in chronological order. |
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| 13.6 | Claims for wage
payments (i.e., travel time, attending meetings) should be submitted on
a timesheet, and not on an expense claim. |
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| 13.7 | Any expenses incurred
before March 31 of each year should be submitted by the end of the first
week of April to ensure the expenses are recorded in the appropriate fiscal
year. |
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| 13.8 |
All expense claims must be
signed by the claimant. If a signature is not provided, claims will be
returned, which can result in delays in payment. |
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| 13.9 | To avoid delays
in payment, a separate claim should be completed for each mode of delivery
tutored. As well, separate claims should be completed for travel expenses
related to authorized University meetings or business. |
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| 13.10 | Learning Services
Tutorial and Human Resources are responsible for the administration of this
policy and are authorized to question any claim, obtain further clarification
when necessary and challenge for non-compliance. |
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| 13.11 | Explanatory e-mail
messages will usually be sent to a tutor when adjustments of over $10.00
are made to the claim. |
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| 13.12 | Any exception to this policy must have written approval of the appropriate Executive Officer. | |||
Monthly
Expense Allowances (starting September 1, 2003) |
Greater
Calgary or Edmonton Area |
Outside
of Calgary or Edmonton |
| One-half of monthly personal phone line |
$18.00 |
$20.00 |
| Separate tutor phone line |
$36.00 |
$40.00 |
| High speed Internet service |
$46.00 |
$46.00 |
| Optional second phone line (in lieu of high-speed Internet service or for computer hook-up with no high-speed Internet) |
$30.00 |
$33.00 |
Approved By
Executive Group, February 14, 2006
President, April 5, 2004
President, December 12, 2003
Amended Date/Motion No.
Revised February 1, 2006
Revised April 5, 2004
Revised December 12, 2003
Revised February 14, 2000
January 1, 1997
Related References, Policies and Procedures
Travel and Expense Claim Policy
http://www.caubo.ca/
Applicable Legislation/Regulation
Responsible Position/Department
This policy is maintained and administered by Learning Services Tutorial and Human Resources, in conjunction with Financial Services.
Keywords
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K.
Zimmermann, Office of the President, February 16, 2006
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