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HR Party of One is brought to you by BerniePortal.

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Imagine—it’s the end of the pay period, and you’re wrapping up payroll when

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suddenly, you receive a stack of late reimbursement requests from employees.

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Feel the frustration rising? Why can’t employees submit these sooner, saving you the hassle and

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unnecessary frustration? This scenario is all too common, but it doesn’t have to be!

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Today, we’ll dive into how to set expectations for employee

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reimbursement requests. When expectations are clear, it not only streamlines processes,

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but also enhances trust and accountability within your organization.

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In this episode, we’ll cover: The Importance of Having

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a Clear Reimbursement Policy, Key Elements to Include in Your Policy,

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Communicating the Policy Effectively, and Next Steps

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Let’s get started!

The Importance of Having a Clear Reimbursement Policy

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-The Importance of Having a Clear Reimbursement Policy.

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Without a clear reimbursement policy, employees can easily be ignorant of the effect that last

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minute reimbursements have on HR. They may be thinking—”Phew! I got it in on time.” Meanwhile,

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you’re having to backtrack and redo work. Or, explain to the employee that

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they will receive their reimbursement the following pay period, which will likely not

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be perceived well without a clear policy identifying the expectations in advance.

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Therefore, a reimbursement policy is essential for creating clarity and consistency in the

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reimbursement process. It sets clear expectations for employees about what can be reimbursed, how to

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submit requests, and the timelines they need to adhere to. With a well-defined policy in place,

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employees will have the knowledge of how to manage their work expenses appropriately.

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A clear reimbursement policy not only helps avoid those frustrating last-minute requests,

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but also fosters a culture of accountability and transparency. When employees understand

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the guidelines, they’re less likely to submit late requests,

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which ultimately makes your job smoother and more efficient.

Key Elements to Include in Your Policy

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Now, let’s explore the key elements that should be

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included in your reimbursement policy to ensure everyone is on the same page.

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-Key Elements to Include in Your Policy. The first thing to include in your reimbursement

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policy is—to define what’s included as a valid reimbursable expense, and what's no.

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For example, some common expenses covered by a business are the following:

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business-related travel, meals bought during business-related travel or business-related

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activities, travel accommodations such as lodging, employee training or educational requirements,

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and smartphone plans, if an employee utilizes a device for work calls, emails, and other tasks.

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Be very clear on what is required and under what conditions—meaning,

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an employee should not be submitting a reimbursement claim for their cell phone

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bill if it has no relevance to their role. Which brings me to what’s not covered. You

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can keep this section brief, clarifying that anything not listed under what is covered

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is most likely not going to be covered. However, you can include language like:

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“Expenses that are personal in nature, unrelated to business

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activities, or not pre-approved by management will not be reimbursed.”

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This helps set a boundary and reinforces the need for employees to seek approval before incurring

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certain expenses. You can consider including examples of expenses that are explicitly excluded,

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such as personal entertainment costs, commuting to and from work, or any luxury items that don’t

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serve a business purpose. While it may seem unnecessary to be this specific,

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the more clarity you can provide, the more you can reduce any likelihood of

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confusion down the line and mitigate any potential disputes when requests are denied.

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Now that you’ve established what constitutes a valid reimbursement expense, it’s time to outline

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the process for submitting reimbursement requests and the necessary documentation.

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Start by specifying the required documentation. This might include receipts, invoices,

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or any other proof of purchase. Make it clear that all submissions must be

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accompanied by these documents to be considered for reimbursement.

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Next, detail how and when employees should submit their requests. For example,

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you can outline whether requests should be submitted electronically

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or through a physical form. Then, be sure to specify deadlines, such as,

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“Reimbursement requests must be submitted within 30 days of the incurred expense.”

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This encourages timely submissions and helps HR manage financial reporting more effectively.

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It’s also very important to tie in the submission process to payroll processing

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timelines. For instance, you might state, “To ensure that reimbursements are included

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in the upcoming payroll, all requests must be submitted the Friday prior to payday.

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Submissions received after this deadline will be included in the following pay period” This not

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only clarifies the urgency, but also helps employees plan their expenses accordingly.

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Lastly, include any approval processes that must be followed. Indicate whether

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managers need to review and approve requests before they’re submitted to HR,

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ensuring that all claims are legitimate and within policy guidelines.

Communicating the Policy Effectively

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Communicating the Policy Effectively. Once your policy has been written,

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the next critical step is communicating it effectively across the organization.

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Ensuring that every employee reads and understands the policy is essential. One effective method is

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to require employees to sign off on the policy. This not only confirms their acknowledgement,

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but also reinforces the importance of adhering to the guidelines. With the

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compliance feature of an all-in-one HRIS, like BerniePortal, this process is easy!

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All you have to do is upload the policy document and send out a notification informing employees

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that a new document is available for their review and signature. Through the compliance

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feature, you’ll be able to keep track of who has signed off on the policy and who

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hasn’t. For any employees that have not yet signed the document, you can set up reminders

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in BerniePortal. This helps keep the policy top-of-mind and encourages timely compliance.

Next Steps

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Once everyone signs off on the policy, there are some

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next steps to consider to ensure the policy is understood and up-to-date.

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Next Steps:

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Be available to answer any questions or clarify any aspects of the policy.

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Regularly check who has signed off on the policy as new employees join your organization.

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Make sure as changes are made to the policy that employees are sent

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a new document to review and sign. Review the policy periodically. Set

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a reminder to revisit the policy on an annual basis, or as necessary as

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changes may occur in your organization. This ensures that it remains relevant and accurate.

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By taking these steps, you’ll ensure that your reimbursement policy is not just communicated, but

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actively integrated into your workplace culture. Remember—your role is as strategic as you make it!