Subject Area: Procurement/Disbursement
Responsible Office: Comptroller's
Approval: V.P. for Administration and Chief Financial Officer
Originally Issued: April 1994
Revised: March 1997, June 2005
Refer Questions To: Patricia Ferriter, 773-702-9393, patf@uchicago.edu

PURPOSE:   To specify the type of gift that may be made to a University employee or an employee's immediate family from University funds.

POLICY:

1. The following modest ($200 or less) non-cash gifts are allowed under this policy. Non-cash gifts greater than $200 must be approved in advance by the Provost. Approval is granted only in rare and exceptional cases. Any requests for exception must be submitted prior to expenditure of university funds. No retroactive approvals will be granted.
   1. Medical Reasons - For a serious illness of an employee or employee's immediate family member or the birth or adoption of a child
   2. Death of an employee or employee’s immediate family member - Note, cash donations to other not-for-profit and charitable organizations in the name of a deceased employee or employee's immediate family member are allowed as an exception to Policy No. 1206, Gifts to Other Not-for-Profit and Charitable Organizations.
   3. Retirement and Leaving the University or Department - For an employee leaving or retiring from the University or transferring to another unit within the University.
   
   Note, all expenses for gifts based on University/employee relationships must be charged to an unrestricted Financial Accounting System account (Ledger 2 or 4) using sub account 9907, Non-Cash Gifts to Employees and Others.
2. Office meals to recognize employee performance, such as special projects completed, Administrative Professionals’ Day or Week, or for the holidays are allowed under this policy and may be funded through unit funds at the discretion of the unit head.
3. The following gifts are never allowed under this policy.
   1. Cash Gifts - Cash gifts to employees are prohibited due to Internal Revenue Service regulations. (For purposes of this policy, cash includes gift certificates/cards of any kind, U.S. savings bonds, or any other item that can be readily converted into cash.) There are no exceptions to this policy.
   2. All other gifts to employees for special occasions such as Administrative Professional’s Day, holiday, birthday or wedding, must be paid through personal funds.