• Ability to find best price-including both web fares and Harvard negotiated fares
• Access to exclusive Expedia hotel rates
  
• Access to car rental
  • Discount will apply if Harvard's Corporate Discount number is entered (this number can be found on the Expedia home page)
  • Preferred partners - Hertz and Avis (Enterprise book direct)
• Low transaction fees
  • $5 = On-line domestic and international
  • $20 = Agent assisted domestic
  • $30 = Agent assisted international
• Ease of use (see instructions on how to access system at the end of this message)
  24x7x365 customer support, with a dedicated service team available to Harvard. Agents can be reached at 1-866-444-4947
  

• http://www.expediacorporate.com/pub/agent.dll?qscr=hgen&hfnm=PrivacyPol.htx, and
• https://www.expediacorporate.com/pub/agent.dll?qscr=hgen&hfnm=TermsOfUse.htx
  

• Go to http://www.expediacorporate.com
  
• Click on the Sign In link on the upper left hand side of your screen
  
• User name is the your Harvard email address up to, but not including the @ sign and without any periods. For example if your Harvard email address is jane_doe@hms.harvard.edu, your user name for the Expedia site is jane_doe
  
• Password is travel
  
• When you log in for the first time you will be prompted to change your password
  
• Click on the My Profile link that appears on the dark blue bar at the top of the Home Page
  
• You can also update your email settings, traveler contact information and preferences, purchase and billing information and home airport
  

Beginning July 1, per diems provided in advance of a trip (advance per diems) are not allowed.

 

A recent revision to the University financial policy entitled Independent Contractor / Consultant - Classification and Procedures restates that that local units, rather than central, are responsible for properly classifying and documenting workers as either employees or independent contractors / consultants. Moreover, it is the responsibility of each tub to establish written criteria for documenting independent contractors / consultants. At a minimum, criteria should include a dollar amount, length of service, and significance to the operation. Please consult with the HMS Finance Office for questions regarding worker classification and the payment method.

The University financial policy entitled Individual Independent Contractor / Consultant - Processing Payments makes explicit that travel expenses must be part of a consultant invoice for services. These expenses should not be processed as a reimbursement. If processed as a reimbursement, the Travel and Reimbursement Office will return the web voucher reimbursement for resubmission through Accounts Payable. Then, the preparer must:

• cancel the Web Voucher reimbursement
• resubmit the expense as a consultant invoice payment using Web Voucher
• adjust the coding to reflect use of consultant services rather than travel object codes.
• Note: Travel object codes are not identified for 1099 reporting purposes. This results in significant under-reporting of payments to consultants and may result in penalties and fines to the University.
  
  

The University Business Expense Policy clarifies what are appropriate business expenses. Please be reminded that there are specific procedures to follow regarding any exceptions. In general, exceptions may be made for items listed in Appendix B. Exception requests must be approved in writing to the Financial Dean (Cynthia L. Walker). In the written approval, the exception must be explicitly documented and approved and must include a University business purpose. Blanket statements and phrases such as “Okay to pay” or “Approved” with a signature are not sufficient as documentation. Exception circumstances must meet the criteria listed in the grid and may include medical reasons, natural disasters, fund raising, development, and/or recruitment activities.