Administrative Policies and Procedures Manual - Policy 4040: Employee Recruitment Expense Reimbursement

Date Originally Issued: 03-01-1991
Revised: 01-24-1994, 01-01-2012
Subject to Change Without Notice

Authorized by UNM Regents’ Policy 3.1 “Responsibilities of the President” 
Process Owner: Chief Procurement Officer 

1. General

The University of New Mexico is committed to recruiting the best candidates for faculty, administrative, and professional staff positions. Hiring officials will follow the University's Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity policies and procedures. The policies defined herein pertain only to allowable recruitment expenses for the department and reimbursable personal expenses for the recruitment of new faculty and staff. This policy is intended to establish maximum reimbursement levels. Colleges and departments may establish reasonable reimbursement policies that define lower limits. In all cases, hiring officials are urged to use good judgment when incurring recruitment expenses. It will be the responsibility of the hiring official to identify the sources of budgeted funds to cover all costs of the recruitment and hiring process.

2. Allowable Candidate Expenses for Reimbursement

The hiring official or Chair of the Search Committee is responsible for informing the applicant of the type of expenses that may be reimbursed and the required documentation (such as receipts and invoices.  Contact Financial Services for guidance and procedures on allowable expenditures and reimbursements.

2.1. The hiring official may provide reimbursement for the travel expenses to UNM campus for prospective candidates for a faculty or staff position, provided the candidate resides seventy-five (75) miles or more from the campus. Travel reimbursement for candidates including travel, lodging, and meal expenses will be as authorized in the University's "Travel Reimbursement Policy and Procedures" (Policy 4030, UBP). The hiring official may also reimburse the candidate for spouse travel, contingent upon the availability of funds. If a candidate elects to bring the spouse to the campus visit and agrees to pay the travel cost, the local lodging and meal expenses of the spouse may be included in the reimbursement of travel expenses to the candidate as deemed appropriate by the hiring official.

2.2. Hiring officials should have the appropriate travel reimbursement claim voucher prepared as promptly after the candidate's visit as is possible and attach all original receipts for reimbursable expenses as provided by the candidate in accordance with UNM travel policies. Hiring officials may elect to obtain transportation and/or local room accommodations and have such directly billed to the appropriate University account. If the candidate's spouse travel reimbursement is claimed, an explanation of reasons by the hiring official should be attached to the travel reimbursement claim.

 3. Allowable Department Recruitment Expenses

In addition to the candidates' travel expense reimbursement allowances, the following types of departmental recruiting expenses may be paid from University funds; based on the recruitment budget established by the hiring official:

• advertising in local, regional, and/or national publications (Section 4. herein);
• site visits by hiring official and/or one or more members of appointed Search Committee to interview prospective candidates and references;
• communication expenses incurred in obtaining information about candidates and other miscellaneous expenses approved by the hiring official that are incurred by the Search Committee;
• reimbursement of actual meal expenses for members of the department and/or Search Committee members incurred in hosting the candidates during campus visits; and
• costs of departmental receptions or other search events which the candidate is requested to attend as part of the on-campus interview process.

4. Advertising Expenses

The Division of Human Resources may place advertisements after consultation with the hiring official as to content and timing of the advertisement. Expenses for such recruitment advertising shall be the responsibility of the hiring official.

5. Exceptions

Exceptions to this policy must be approved by the cognizant Vice President.