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Expense Advance: Field staff may request advance payment for anticipated reimbursable expenses through an "Expense Advance." Advances are not available in all cases but will be considered for approval on a case-by-case basis. All unused portions of an advance must be timely returned to Reliant. Per Diem: Field staff may request per diem while traveling, opting to receive a daily set amount for travel expenses (lodging and meals) instead of submitting individual expense receipts for those travel expenses. Grant: For expenses related directly to a ministry project fund, field staff and associates can request payment through a "Grant" rather than a project fund Reimbursement. (See Reimbursements vs. Grants for more details.) Grants are typically used for the expense of an item that will belong to the broader ministry/project on a long-term basis. Allowance: A separate sum can be requested for certain expenses not eligible for submission through the expense submission form. This allowance will be given in the form of a taxable bonus through payroll. Receipts are not required for this allowance. Support Goal: Certain recurring monthly expenses can only be recovered through submitting an updated support goal. We encourage employees to use this benefit to offset recurring monthly costs. Associates are not eligible for this benefit and, therefore, will not be able to recover certain recurring monthly expenses. |
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Hand-Written Receipts On the rare occasion when a field staff is unable to obtain a formal itemized receipt, hand-written receipts are acceptable, as long as they contain the following information:
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Receipts from Mobile/Banking App For receipts from mobile apps (such as Venmo, Square, Apple Pay, PayPal, Google Wallet, or a banking app, etc.), field staff should be sure to include a clear description in the memo or "what's it for?" section of the transaction, to document what expense the payment is related to. The expense submission should also include any information required for a valid receipt that is not visible on the mobile app "receipt" (see the guidelines above for what details must be included on the itemized receipt for it to be acceptable.) Please see the section below for details on receipts needed for shared expenses. |
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Expense Category | Summary of Allowable Costs | Key Details | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Hotel/Lodging | Up to $250/night for ministry trips |
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Flight | Airfare Baggage Seat upgrade, if needed TSA pre-check or CLEAR |
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Rental Car/Borrowed Car |
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Mileage/Carpooling | Mileage for necessary ministry-related trips in excess of 50 miles each way (which is already included in the support goal bonus). |
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Parking & Tolls | Parking costs of more than $10 when conducting ministry work in a location that is not the local place of work. Parking costs incurred during travel (airport parking costs, hotel or conference center parking, etc.) Parking permits at the primary place of ministry can be recovered through an ERB. Tolls when traveling on a ministry trip are reimbursable. |
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Other Transportation | Taxi, bus, rideshare, train, water transportation, etc., when traveling on a ministry trip | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Covid Testing | Mandated testing for COVID in order to travel | Only testing not covered by Reliant's health plan can be reimbursed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Travel Fees (short-term international trips) | Visa Fees and related documentation are reimbursable Passport fees and related documentation (taxable ERB) |
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Vaccinations and Immunizations (short-term international trips) | Vaccinations and immunizations required for international travel (taxable ERB) Certain medications required for international short-term travel related to mission trips are reimbursable |
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Meals During Travel | Meals during ministry trips |
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Internet Access During Travel | Charges for internet and email fees while traveling for ministry purposes. |
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Weddings and Funerals | If the criteria (under Key Details) for the wedding/funeral are met, then airfare, mileage, lodging, rental cars, meals, and other travel-related expenses, etc., can be reimbursed. |
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Conferences and Event Fees | As a general rule, most conferences, retreats, and events are reimbursable as long as the field workers substantiate why attendance at the event was necessary for their current ministry role. |
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Mission and Outreach Trips | The fee(s) for the Mission and Outreach Trip are reimbursable. |
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Spiritual and Ministry Planning Retreats | Spiritual and Ministry Planning Retreats are intended to be dedicated, focused, and intentional times of immersion in the Word, prayer, and/or ministry preparation. Costs associated with the retreats may be reimbursed with pre-approval on a Personal Development Plan. |
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Expense Category | Summary of Allowable Costs | Key Details | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Furniture | To the extent the furniture is required to perform ministry responsibilities, recoverable as 75% nontaxable Reimbursement and 25% taxable ERB. |
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Meals & Hospitality (not associated with a ministry trip)
| Meals for ministry contacts, donors, and group events Groceries for prepared meals for ministry purposes One-time special event/celebration meals with co-workers that are out of the ordinary can be submitted through reimbursement Dormitory meal plan passes, when used exclusively for conducting ministry per Reliant worker role (for example on a college campus), can be reimbursed at a max of $480 for a semester pass. |
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Books | Books that are ministry-related (they do not need to be religious in nature). |
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Continuing education courses Course-related books Associated Fees Some other continuing education expenses can also be recovered through an Expense Recovery Bonus, such as school-required health checks and immunizations and related travel costs associated with continuing education. |
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Counseling | Counseling is not eligible for reimbursement or ERB. Short-term counseling is available through Reliant's Employee Assitance Program for those enrolled in Reliant's insurance. However, field workers may qualify for crisis counseling in a ministry-related crisis for a pre-approved duration paid for by Reliant. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Gift-giving is sometimes required to further the ministry of Reliant. Gifts purchased must be clearly ministry-related and also help further that specific Reliant ministry. Gifts must have an intended recipient determined at the point of purchase. Gifts may not be purchased more than 30 days before the date they will be given to the intended party. Gifts cannot be personal in nature (such as for a birthday, baby, wedding, graduation, etc.) There is an annual limit for the amount of gift given per person per year. |
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Gift Cards | A gift card given by a Reliant employee to donors may be reimbursed with a valid ministry purpose, but annual limits for giving (see "gifts" above) apply. As a Standard, Reliant does not allow field staff to give gift cards to other field staff (employee or associate). |
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Moving Costs | Moving costs are not reimbursable through expense submission. A moving bonus is available for moving costs incurred while moving from one U.S. ministry location to another U.S. ministry location. |
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Professional Fees | Professional fees paid to companies, agencies, or individuals for services necessary to conduct ministry are reimbursable.
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Recreation Expenses | Use discretion when submitting requests for reimbursement of recreation expenses. Reliant will carefully review such requests but will not reimburse expenses that are not clearly ministry-related (such as recreation for general fellowship) and that do not follow the Standards for reasonable, necessary, etc. |
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Subscriptions and Dues |
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Supplies | Due to the different job responsibilities of Reliant Employees, the types of supplies used for ministry purposes are vast and varying. It is the field worker's responsibility to use discretion when purchasing supplies to ensure the items are truly reasonable and necessary for ministry expenses. |
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Expense Category | Summary of Allowable Costs | Key Reminders | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Bank Fees | Bank Fees incurred by International field workers as they travel back to the US or other countries for ministry purposes. Bank Fees incurred in situations where the safety of a Reliant International worker is a concern or in which local banking options are either not allowable or unadvisable (e.g., due to the secure nature of their ministry role.) |
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Counseling | Counseling is not eligible for reimbursement or ERB. However, there is a counseling bonus available to International workers (See International BonusesExpense Allowances) Short-term counseling for International workers is available through Reliant's Employee Assistance Program. In the event of an international crisis, International field workers may qualify to receive crisis counseling for a pre-approved duration paid for by Reliant. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Global Communication |
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Immigration Fees | Reimbursable costs include visa fees and necessary documentation, postage, photos, etc., for ministry-related international travel. Costs recoverable to international field workers through an ERB include: U.S. Passport fees and necessary documentation, postage, photos, etc. International driver's license fees- initial and renewal Immigration fees for family Related travel for visa runs, etc., for family members. |
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Immunizations, Vaccinations | To the extent not covered by Reliant health plans, pre-field physicals, vaccinations, and immunizations (including oral vaccinations with a prescription) required for international placement or internship can be recovered through an ERB. |
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International Mileage | When the cost of operating a motor vehicle in the international field worker's country of ministry exceeds that of the United States, the International field worker may submit ministry-related mileage at a rate that exceeds the United States IRS’s approved mileage reimbursement rate to be recovered through an ERB. |
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Language Classes | Language classes are reimbursable. |
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Legal Fees |
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Moving, Vehicle, Hardship, etc. | There is a specific International BonusExpense Allowance designed to recover personal expenses for International workers that are not eligible for submission on the International Expense Submission Form. |
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Tutoring | Tutoring fees are reimbursable. |
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Translator Fees | Oral translator fees are reimbursable. Written translator fees are typically reimbursable, depending on the nature of the materials. |
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Storage Fees | Reimbursement may be requested for storage costs for personal items stored in the U.S. while the worker serves at an international assignment when connected to an international move. |
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