COVID-19 Travel Reimbursement Policy

POLICY

Subject:                            COVID-19 Travel Reimbursement Policy

Approving Authority:      Senior Leadership Council

Responsible Officer:       Chief Administrative Officer

Responsible Office:        Finance

Effective Date:                 March 14, 2020

Corresponding Policies:   COVID-19 Travel, Education and Visitor Policy

Purpose

Section 1.0

Due to the changing nature and rapid spread of COVID-19 and the recently communicated Western University travel restrictions where it is required that all travel be cancelled, the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry has adopted a new travel reimbursement policy.

This policy is applicable to all Schulich Medicine & Dentistry faculty, staff, and learners, whose travel and off-campus activity has been impacted as a result of the pandemic. Many Canadian events, conferences, meetings etc. have also been cancelled. Due to these cancellations, faculty, staff and learners may have incurred unexpected personal financial losses.

This policy outlines the School’s process by which reimbursement for these costs will be assessed. Any claims for funds not reimbursed by hosting organization(s), travel companies, insurance providers, and/or accommodation companies will be considered for possible reimbursement by the School/department. These costs will be tracked by the Dean’s Office finance department but incurred mostly departmentally.

Definitions

Section 2.0

This policy applies to ALL Schulich Medicine & Dentistry faculty, staff and learners who are affected by the School’s COVID-19 travel related policies. (see COVID-19 Travel, Education and Visitor Policy)

Travel:
Term applies to any mode of transportation including air, rail or ground.

Accommodation:
Term applies to hotel or Air B&B accommodation.

Hosting organization:
Term applies to any organization who is hosting conference, meeting, event, research placement, elective, placement.

Policy

Section 3.0

I – Faculty and staff

  • Any Schulich Medicine & Dentistry faculty or staff member who had booked business travel prior to March 11, 2020 that was impacted due to COVID-19 may be eligible to receive reimbursement from the School for fees not reimbursed by the hosting organization(s) and/or travel company or companies and/or the accommodation company or companies.
  • Faculty and staff are expected to work directly with the hosting organization(s) and/or transportation companies, and/or accommodation companies to receive reimbursement and/or credit for any personal costs incurred. Also, some personal credit card companies provide purchase insurance, which may facilitate the processing of refunds.
  • Faculty and staff are asked to retain documentation that includes proof of payment of the original fees, and any credits or proof of refund received and/or documentation indicating refund/credit is ineligible.
  • Faculty and staff who do not receive full credit or reimbursement are asked send a request for reimbursement approval, along with scanned copies of documentation to: COVID- 19TravelResponse@schulich.uwo.ca
  • Material will be reviewed and decisions about reimbursement will be made on a case-by-case basis. Decisions and next steps will be communicated back to claimant.
  • Faculty and staff will not be reimbursed for any international business travel booked or taken after March 11, 2020 or if business travel was pursued in contradiction to the School’s COVID-19 Travel, Education and Visitor Policy
  • It is important to note, that if staff/faculty member received a travel advance prior to March 11, 2020 and the associated event was cancelled, postponed, or converted to a virtual delivery, it is the responsibility of the staff or faculty member to provide a cheque to reimburse the University for the total of the advance, less any partial refunds or reduced registration fees. This is accomplished by completing a Travel Expense Claim. A paper format of the form is also available.

II – Undergraduate and postgraduate medicine and dentistry learners, residents and fellows

  • Any Schulich undergraduate or postgraduate medicine or dentistry learners, residents, or fellows whose elective, research placement, event conference or meeting, or other learning activity has been impacted due to the COVID-19 Travel, Education and Visitor Policy and who have incurred personal expenses for travel, accommodation, immunizations, and/or travel clinic fees may be eligible to receive reimbursement from the School for fees not reimbursed or credited by the hosting organization(s), travel company, insurance provider and/or accommodation company.
  • Undergraduate and postgraduate medicine and dentistry learners, residents and fellows are asked to work directly with the hosting organization(s) and/or transportation companies, and/or accommodation companies to receive reimbursement and/or credit for any personal costs incurred. Also, some personal credit card companies provide purchase insurance, which may facilitate the processing of refunds.
  • Undergraduate and postgraduate medicine and dentistry learners, residents and fellows are asked to retain documentation that includes proof of payment of the original fees, and any credits or proof of refund received and/or documentation indicating refund/credit is ineligible.
  • Should the undergraduate and postgraduate medicine and dentistry learners, residents and fellows not receive full credit or reimbursement, they are asked to fill out a Travel Expense Claim Form for Learners and send the completed form along with the receipts to: COVID- 19TravelResponse@schulich.uwo.ca 
  • Material will be reviewed and decisions about reimbursement will be made on a case-by-case basis.
  • Undergraduate and postgraduate medicine and dentistry students, residents and fellows will not be reimbursed for any international business travel booked or taken after March 11, 2020 or if business travel was pursued in contradiction to the School’s COVID-19 Travel, Education and Visitor Policy

III – Undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral learners

  • Any Schulich undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral learners whose field course, research placement, event conference or meeting or other learning activity has been impacted due to the COVID-19 Travel, Education and Visitor Policy and who have incurred personal expenses for field courses, tuition fees, travel, accommodation, immunizations, and/or travel clinic fees may be eligible to receive reimbursement from the School for fees not reimbursed or credited by the hosting organization(s), and/or the transportation company or companies, insurance provider(s) and/or the accommodation company or companies.
  • Undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral learners are asked to work directly with the hosting organization(s) and/or transportation companies, and/or accommodation companies to receive reimbursement and/or credit for any personal costs incurred. Also, some personal credit card companies provide purchase insurance, which may facilitate the processing of refunds.
  • Undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral learners are asked retain documentation that includes proof of payment of the original fees, and any credits or proof of refunds received and/or documentation indicating refund/credit is ineligible.
  • Should the undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral learners not receive full credit or reimbursement, they are asked to fill out a Travel Expense Claim Form for Learners and send the completed form along with the receipts to: COVID-19TravelResponse@schulich.uwo.ca
  • Material will be reviewed and decisions about reimbursement will be made on a case-by-case basis.
  • Undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral learners will not be reimbursed for any international business travel booked or taken after March 11, 2020 or if business travel was pursued in contradiction to the School’s COVID-19 Travel, Education and Visitor Policy

IV – Inbound travel for Schulich Medicine & Dentistry learners

  • Any Schulich Medicine & Dentistry learner who is currently abroad on an academic exchange or research placement who must return to Canada earlier and rebook their travel and have incurred additional costs due to increased fees, penalties or other travel-related costs, may be eligible to receive reimbursement from the School.
    • Learners are asked to retain documentation that includes proof of payment of the original fees, receipts that indicate increased costs due to change in flights, and any credits or proof of refunds received and/or documentation indicating refund/credit is ineligible.
    • Learners are asked to contact: COVID-19TravelResponse@schulich.uwo.ca
    • The information will be reviewed and decisions about reimbursement will be made on a case-by-case basis.

V - International learners, visitors and invited guest speakers

  • Any international learner who has paid an application fee to Schulich Medicine & Dentistry for a visiting elective, observership and/or short-term research placement will receive reimbursement of the fee.
    • Travel costs incurred in anticipation of the visiting event or guest speaker date, that are not reimbursed by the service provider will be considered for reimbursement
    • Individuals are asked to contact: COVID-19TravelResponse@schulich.uwo.ca with a request for reimbursement. Instructions for reimbursement will be provided.