GROUP MEAL
University employees may be reimbursed for the cost of group meals while carrying out their employment duties. A group meal is defined as a meal for one or more University employees and one or more individuals that are not employees of the University. The request for reimbursement for group meals should be in the form of a request for payment submitted to Procurement Services with an itemized receipt for the cost of the meals attached. The memorandum should indicate the names of the persons in attendance and the nature of the meeting. If the average cost per person exceeds $25.00, the reimbursement must be approved by the appropriate vice chancellor. The University will not reimburse any employees for the cost of alcoholic beverages consumed with the meal.

This policy will cover group meals for persons in travel status as well as those meals of an official nature here in Oxford.

The cost of group meals while in travel status should be excluded from the travel reimbursement voucher and submitted by request for payment with receipts attached to the Procurement Services Office.

The definition of a group meal does require that the group include one or more individuals who are not employees of the University. In other words, if three individuals from the University have lunch together, each employee would be responsible for his or her own meal cost.

Approved group meals will not be treated as travel costs but will be accounted for as commodities (G/L code 6440, Food for Persons).