Welcome to Dear Ethics Liaison - a new series where the University's Ethics Liaison responds to employee questions about compliance with the State Code of Ethics and applicable University policies.

All questions are anonymized.

The question

"I serve on the board of a national professional organization that I have been a part of for years. Our national conference is coming up in Arizona, and the organization has offered to pay the conference registration fees and one night of lodging for all board members. This is to attend our annual board meeting prior to the conference starting. My department is paying the rest of the trip expenses associated with the conference as professional development."

"What do I need to do before or after the conference to comply with the State Code of Ethics?"

Quick Answer

Because an outside organization is covering your expenses associated with lodging and registration, you are required to report it to the Office of State Ethics within 30 days after the event, whether the organization reimbursed you for the expenses or paid for them directly.

What Needs to Be Reported?

When a non-government entity pays or reimburses you for expenses connected to your participation in a conference as a UConn employee, it must only be for reasonable expenses directly related to your UConn role. Common examples of reasonable expenses include conference registration fees, lodging in a standard room, flight (coach), meals, or parking and mileage fees to/from the event.

Because the professional organization is paying for expenses for lodging and/or out of state travel, you are required to report any covered or reimbursed expenses by the organization to the Office of State Ethics. If a portion of your travel expenses are paid by your department, those expenses do not need to be reported.

Should I File Before or After the Conference?

You should file within 30-days after the event.

The relevant disclosure can be completed through the Office of State Ethics using the online form for necessary expenses and gifts to the state.

What Should Be Included?

The disclosure should identify the organization paying for the expenses, the event, your role in the event (i.e., attendee, speaker, presenter), and the type and total of expenses paid or reimbursed. In this example, that would include the conference registration and the one night of hotel lodging.

These questions are common and come up often for employees. The Ethics Liaison is here to answer your questions and provide guidance. Asking ahead of time can make the after-event expense reporting much easier.