Timeframe for Travel and Entertainment Expense Submission
Learn about the details and policies behind Travel's timeframe for submitting Travel and Entertainment expenses.
In support of IRS regulations, UC’s accountable plan and best practices, the following guidelines pertain to reimbursements for Travel and Entertainment.
Requirements for Timely Submission
The employee must adequately account to UC San Diego for expenses within a reasonable period of time.
- Expenses should be submitted within *21 days.
- Expenses submitted after 45 days may be treated as taxable and reported on the employee's W-2. In addition, associated taxes will be withheld from the employee’s next payroll. The department will also see charges to its fund(s) for its share of employer-related taxes.
- For late claims, include a clear explanation as to why the trip or event was not timely submitted and how the department will ensure future compliance. This information should be included in the comments of the Expense Report.
*If personal payment was used, submit reimbursements within 21 days to reduce any financial burden on the employee.
When a reimbursement may become taxable
Reimbursements may be taxable if:
- The activity is not directly related to the employee's job and therefore does not have a University business purpose.
- The expense is lavish or extravagant under the circumstances.
- The expense is not substantiated with supporting documentation and a receipt if the expense is $75 or greater.
- The employee did not adequately account to UC San Diego for these expenses within a reasonable period of time.
Facilitate approval process with accurate and complete claims
The timeframe for submission of travel and entertainment expense claims includes review and approval by the department. If a claim is routed to the Travel Team for review, the timeframe does not include time awaiting review but if the claim requires additional action in order to process it, then that period is considered part of the 45-day timeframe.
Read the article about the Timeframe Change for Travel and Entertainment Submissions for UC San Diego Employees (PDF).