Biology Meal Reimbursement Policy

(Revised October 2024)

Hosting Information for All Meals

• Ask for itemized receipts for meals and separate itemized receipts for alcohol (for faculty recruitment dinners). 
  • Assess gratuities separately on each receipt. 
• Be aware of the current per diem rates¹ and maximum reimbursement amounts when hosting meals.
• All meal monetary limits include tax + tip.
• Alcohol is not allowed, unless otherwise stated.

Receipts

Required documentation for all meals: itemized receipts, Non-travel Reimbursement Form, and a list of participants.

As of 2017, a perjury statement is insufficient for lost receipts. See Non-travel Reimbursements for more information.

General Policy (applies to seminar speakers and other departmental guests²)

• Breakfast: $30 maximum (FY25 limit $23.92/person)
• Lunch: $50 maximum (FY25 limit $26.68/person)
• Dinner: $200 maximum (FY25 limit $41.40/person)

Faculty Search Candidates

• Breakfast: $30 maximum (FY25 limit $23.92/person)
• Lunch: $50 maximum (FY25 limit $26.68/person)
• Dinner: $300 maximum, with a maximum of $50/person (i.e., 4 people = $200 max; 6 people = $300 max), alcohol allowed.
  • Alcohol: $50 maximum, must be reimbursed on Friends of Biology.
  • Two itemized receipts are required: one for the meals and a second for alcohol.

Departmentally Hosted Grad or Postdoc Lunches

• Departmentally hosted grad or postdoc lunches (with job candidates or other situations the Department agreed to subsidize) have a maximum budget of $100. 

Coffee Meetings

Not reimburseable.

Food for Meetings, Training Sessions and Recognition Ceremonies

As a general rule, state budgets cannot be used to reimburse meal purchases, but there are exceptions for meals and light refreshments for meetings, formal training sessions, or recognition/award presentation ceremonies.

• Food and Beverages Form (UW 1798) must be completed and forwarded to the Department Chair or Administrator for approval in advance of the event.

Rationale and Explanation

The Department does not reimburse alcohol (or gratuity for the service of alcohol) unless it is associated with a faculty recruitment dinner. Alcohol is limited to a maximum of $50 (including tax + tip) for faculty recruitment dinners. If cocktails, beer, or wine are ordered and exceed the $50 maximum the cost must be split among participants. Presumably Biology personnel will be willing to cover the cost of the job candidate.

The Friends of Biology fund is needed by the Department for many important and critical functions, including faculty recruitment. We do not wish to impair the social atmosphere at recruitment dinners, and we appreciate the efforts extended by hosts and other participants, but in order to maintain our ability to fund the activities supported by Friends of Biology we must place a limit on alcohol reimbursement.

¹Meal per diem rates as per state policy are 26% for breakfast, 29% for lunch, 45% for dinner .

²Prior approval required for guests who are not approved seminar speakers.