Travel and Expenses for Non-Employees

When there is a bona fide business purpose, academic departments are allowed to provide for travel arrangements and payments using academic funds to non-employees.

All expenses must comply with requirements established in policy FIN-004. Non-employees must adhere to the same policy guidelines/limits as employees for actual meals, lodging, and other expenses.

Non-employee travelers include:

• Contractors and Consultants
• Students
• Visiting scholars
• Guests
• Job candidates
• Contingent workers

Using TravelUVA

An academic employee can make travel arrangements through TravelUVA for a non-academic employees by choosing the Book for a guest option in Concur or by calling Christopherson Business Travel at 1-844-4UVA-CBT.

These travelers will not have a traveler profile in Concur. Information is simply entered when the reservation is made.

Special Considerations When Making Travel Arrangements

Job Candidates:

Employee recruitment is considered official University business. Therefore, reasonable expenses incurred by a prospective employee or University employee who is directly involved in the recruitment process are reimbursable. Generally, a guest or spouse/domestic partner of a prospective employee is not required during the recruitment process and their expenses are not reimbursable. However, the inclusion of the prospective employee's spouse/domestic partner is allowable when approved in advance by the appropriate school/unit/department head.

Expenses of a prospective employee’s spouse/domestic partner involved with the interview process are only reimbursable using local funds.

Spouse/domestic partner expenses and the specific position name must be identified under recruitment on any related travel reimbursement request.

[Note: Any spousal/ domestic partner expenses incurred in connection with the recruitment process are considered Nonqualified (Taxable) Expenses subject to withholding of applicable taxes.]

Bona fide companion travel must be routed through a spend authorization review process in the finance system in order to confirm that the business purpose meets the IRS’ definition of a bona-fide business purpose and to confirm the tax liability to T&E Cardholders and/or other individuals.

Refer to Policy FIN-004 for the full policy.

Please Note: If a candidate is hired as an employee, any moving and relocation expenses must be handled through HR.  For more information, please visit: https://hr.virginia.edu/careers-uva/moving-and-relocation.

Companions:

Expenses related to a companion traveling or attending a business meal, are an allowable expense if the companion is considered to have a bona fide business purpose, rather than a personal or social purpose. However, companion travel is not allowed to be purchased on the T&E card. Companion expenses will be paid based on actual costs and must be supported by itemized receipts regardless of the amount. It will also require justification and approval by the Senior Department Finance Approver. Expenses related to bona fide companion travel require submission of a Spend Authorization in Workday Expenses prior to purchasing their travel. 

Vehicle Rental:

Non-employees are not covered under the University’s automobile self-insurance plan, and they will not have insurance included on rentals with University-contracted vendors. Non-employee travelers are required to purchase additional collision damage insurance (CDW/LDW) when renting a vehicle. Departments should reimburse non-employees for rental car expenses including CDW/LDW insurance. The T&E card and/or direct bill accounts may not be used to pay for non-employee rental expenses. This does not pertain to medical center employees as they are covered as an employee.

See more information about vehicle rentals on our Book Rental Car page.

Travel Meals:

Non-employees are not allowed meal per diems.

Actual Meals: When claiming actual meals, travelers will be reimbursed based on actual costs, and these must be supported by itemized receipts regardless of the amount. Travelers should follow the University's standard daily limit of $75. Exceptions over $150 per day require justification and approval by the Senior Department Finance Approver. Alcohol expenses on any meal receipt must be paid from local funds.

Medical Center employees, fellows, and UPG employees may receive travel meal per diems. These travelers should claim either actual meals or per diems (if eligible) but not both in the same trip.

Paying for Travel Expenses

• Reimbursement for travel expenses should not be requested until after the travel is completed. 
• All expenses submitted for reimbursement must be supported by itemized receipts regardless of the amount except for tolls, parking, and mileage. 
• A missing receipt affidavit must be provided when a receipt is missing.
• Non-employees must adhere to the same policy guidelines/ limits as employees for actual meals, lodging, and other expenses.
• Travel paid for with gift cards, airline miles, personal unused ticket credits, credit card points, or similar is not reimbursable.
• Departments may prepay directly to a travel provider for expenses such as an airline ticket on the T&E card. Please make bookings for non-employees through TravelUVA to obtain UVA's contract discounts and benefits, which includes name change flexibility on airline tickets in case the traveler needs to cancel their trip.
• A T&E card may be used when booking a hotel to guarantee the reservation, however, hotel reservations are NOT pre-paid through TravelUVA or most other booking sources. Please call the hotel after confirming the reservation to arrange for the room to be charged to the T&E card. The traveler will still need to present a card in their name at check-in for incidentals.
  • For local hotels where UVA holds a contract, the travel assistant may call the hotel and give their T&E card information over the phone, or provide it through a secure site like Sertifi after confirming the reservation. A third-party credit card authorization form is not required. Card information should never be sent over email or fax. 

  • For non-local hotels, arrangements for pre-payment may be made by contacting the hotel directly after confirming the reservation. A third-party credit card authorization form may be required, however, the full 16-digit card number should not be written on the form. You may fill out the form and include the last 4 digits of the card number and call the hotel to provide the remaining card information. Card information should never be sent over email or fax. 

Procedure for Reimbursing Non-Employee Traveler

Non-employee travelers (including students) must register as an Individual Payee in PaymentWorks. Medical Center and UPG employees being reimbursed using academic funds may submit their request in Workday Expenses. The department must:

• Send a PaymentWorks invitation to the individual.
• Complete a Non-Employee Travel Reimbursement Form for those that are not a University employee, such as contractors, students, visiting scholars, guests, job candidates, and contingent workers.
• Attach receipts, missing receipt affidavits, currency conversion documentation, and justifications.
  • Receipts submitted in foreign currency should have conversion calculation documentation included.
• Submit a Supplier Invoice Request in Workday and attach the Non-Employee Travel Reimbursement Form.
  • Use Spend Categories:
    • Travel Non-Employee (SC0745)
    • Travel Non-Employee Taxable (SC0774)
    • Travel Student (SC0746)

Payment should be made approximately 7-10 days after the Supplier Invoice Request is approved.