Table of Contents
Overview
This Recruitment Expense Reimbursement Protocol is based on the OUAC’s Expense Reimbursement Policy – Committee/Board Members (Business Travel) (effective November 2011).
The OUAC covers agreed-upon expenses through the following process and no longer goes through the Ontario University Registrars’ Association (OURA).
Expenses Covered
The OUAC covers the following expenses:
| Expense | Approval Required |
|---|---|
| OURF expenses (clickers, buses, venues, hotels, etc.) | OURF-WG Chair approval required.
Refer to instructions posted on the Regional Fairs Resources and OURF-WG pages for OURF-related expense reimbursement processes. |
| SCSR and GCSR meeting expenses (e.g., food, teleconferencing) | SCSR Chair to approve quotes for food, etc. before the event, if the meeting is not at the OUAC. |
| OUF-SC and OUInfo-EB expenses | Expenses reimbursed in special cases only. |
| Any other expenses | SCSR Chair to approve |
The following expenses are not eligible for reimbursement:
- Mini bar expenses
- In-house movies
- Interest charges on outstanding charge card balances
- Loss or damage to personal possessions
- Parking or traffic fines
- Personal items
- We normally consider alcohol an ineligible expense; however, some modest exceptions may apply.
- We no longer pay for guidance counsellor gifts or travel expenses for the OURF. We provide thank you cards annually.
Special Cases: OUF-SC and OUInfo-EB Expenses
We cover the following meeting-related expenses for the Ontario Universities’ Fair Steering Committee (OUF-SC) and OUInfo Editorial Board (OUInfo-EB) only:
Accommodations
- One overnight accommodation for the night prior to the meeting if travel to the OUAC is not feasible the day of the meeting.
- We provide reimbursement in a standard room.
- We do not permit suites, executive floors or concierge levels for reimbursement.
- We permit costs for accommodation near the meeting location only.
- If you must cancel reservations, it is your responsibility to ensure you make the cancellation in advance so that “no show/late cancellation” charges are not incurred. If you incur “no show/late cancellation” charges and the OUAC determines that you had adequate time and opportunity to cancel at no charge, you will not be reimbursed.
Meals
- Dinner for the day prior to the meeting and dinner the day of the meeting, if necessary, are reimbursable.
- Reasonable costs for meals are reimbursable.
- Itemized receipts are required along with a credit card slip showing the full cost of the meal, including a tip.
Travel
Travel costs are reimbursable, per the following guidelines:
- Car Rental: Reimbursable expenses include the rental fee (mid-size, non-luxury model cars), mileage charges by the rental agency, gasoline charges and insurance coverage when applicable.
- Use of Personal Vehicle: We generally do not recommend the use of a personal vehicle; however, it is acceptable when it is the most efficient method of transportation.
- For longer trips, we pay mileage only when the sum does not exceed the feasible alternatives, unless there are extenuating circumstances requiring the use of a car.
- You must provide details for any extraordinary expenditure and there must be justification for the expense.
- If traveling on business directly from home, claim the mileage for the shorter distance, from work or home.
- You should also obtain the appropriate automobile insurance, including any required business coverage.
- The Council of Ontario Universities (COU), using a variety of government and public sector sources and following Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) guidelines, amends the mileage rate for use of personal vehicles when appropriate.
- We assume no financial responsibility for privately owned vehicles other than paying the kilometric rate when used for business.
- We are not responsible for reimbursing deductible amounts related to insurance coverage or for damages resulting from collision.
- Air and Train Travel: When booking air travel, you should book economy or similar (lowest reasonable fare available). You should make reservations as far in advance as possible in order to obtain savings.
- The cost of travel to/from the airport is a reimbursable expense (see Other Transportation). Consideration should be given to the most efficient and economical alternative between options, such as the use of a personal car, airport service, etc.
- Flight cancellation insurance is an allowable expense.
- Tickets for rail travel should be economy class or similar (lowest fare available). We permit business class (i.e., business – regular fare) only when it is more economical than economy class (i.e., when the travel time is over a meal period and the cost of economy class plus a meal exceeds the cost of business class, which includes a meal).
- Other Transportation: Reasonable expenditures for taxis and public transportation to and from airports, railway stations, hotel locations and meeting places are reimbursable, including reasonable gratuities for service.
Submitting Your Form
Eligible expenses outlined on this page may be reimbursed by submitting a completed OUAC Expense Form to the OUAC employee organizing the meeting or the OUAC Primary Contact for the related recruitment activity.
Instructions
- Complete the OUAC Expense Form, including:
- the name and address of the person/university to receive the reimbursement
- the name of the meeting/event
- your signature
- Send the signed OUAC Expense Form and all receipts/proofs of payment to the OUAC employee who is organizing the meeting or the OUAC Primary Contact for the related recruitment activity.
Proof of Payment
- You must substantiate all expenses for both proof of payment and business activity in order to be reimbursed.
- Receipts must be original copies that are itemized and dated. Detailed receipts enable us to recover HST, therefore, it is important that you provide fully itemized receipts.
- For air and rail travel, we require a boarding pass to prove travel occurred.
- Restaurant expenses should include the credit card slip as proof of tip (personal information can be blacked out).
- For hotel expenses, we require a receipt from the hotel as well as proof of payment (credit card receipt – personal information can be blacked out).
- You must attach all receipts to the OUAC Expense Form and submit them to us in a timely manner.
- Note: Expense reporting should be done within 1 week of the end of the fiscal year (June 30) that the expense(s) occurred in.
We expect committee members to exercise prudence and proper judgement when incurring expenses. Every attempt should be made to ensure that the OUAC receives good and fair value for our travel expenditures.
Questions
If you have any questions about expense reimbursements for recruitment-related activities, please reach out to the OUAC Primary Contact for that event/activity.