Reimbursements

New UC Policy for timing of reimbursement requests

All requests are now required to be submitted no later than 45 DAYS after the completion of travel or, the date of the entertainment expense. As of 7/1/21, the Controller's Office will begin strictly enforcing the policy and any exceptions will be treated as taxable income. This could result in the employee's being subject to withholding on those reimbursements.

The Direct Enter process via the Online Travel & Reimbursement System must be used by staff, student employees, and faculty to directly enter all travel reimbursement requests and non-travel related expense reimbursements at: https://reimburse.berkeley.edu) (versus filling out T&E forms in BearBUY). Using Direct Enter shortens processing time to payment from weeks to days, and puts more control of the process in the hands of employees requesting reimbursement.

Divisional Finance Leaders (DFLs) can offer additional support and guidance to campus departments for using Direct Enter for reimbursements as well as the Controller's Office. Please note that existing processes should be followed for any exceptional reimbursement approvals. Unsure of those processes? Check with your department/unit’s DFL.

Periodic updates:

3/10/23: The Controller's Office announces that students who are not employees will soon be able to access the campus reimbursement system sometime in early March '23. Students will be able to use the reimbursement system for travel, business meetings, or entertainment, etc., that they need to submit for reimbursement.

8/23/21: NEW Non-Catalog and Services Request Forms -The new Non-Catalog and Services Request forms are now available in BearBUY!

  • Any old Non-Catalog and Services Request forms will be removed since they have been revised and renamed as the Non-Catalog Items Form and Services and Non-Tangible Items Form. The system will auto-reject any old non-catalog or service order forms starting 9/2/21.
  • If there are questions or help needed, contact the applicable BRS regional Purchasing & Reimbursements Team.

7/26/21: Departments who previously submitted T&E reimbursement requests for non-employee students, vendors, or visitors on the CSS form in BearBUY, be advised that Supply Chain Management (SCM) has sunsetted this form as of 7/26/21. Going forward:

  • Departments/staff should refer to their applicable BRS regional website for guidance on processing these types of reimbursements. This includes department admins without the travel preparer role in the reimbursement system and need to submit a travel reimbursement for non-employee students, vendors, or visitors or when the travel involves foreign currency transactions, multiple countries and/or complex expenses. 

RELATED SITES

UC Berkeley Travel website

Berkeley's Coronavirus site - Travel guidance

Berkeley's Coronavirus site - Events guidance

Direct Enter via Reimburse

Maximum Meal Expenses

Travel Policy in a Nutshell

Divisional Finance Leaders list

IRS Publication 463 - Travel, Gift and Car Expenses

Domestic Per Diem Rates

Federal Per Diem Rates

Controller's Office