The GE TRAVEL MasterCard
A "Personal" Credit Card
In an effort to eliminate cash advances--and solve the complaint of employees not having "room" on their personal credit cards for business travel expenses--the State offers a GE Travel MasterCard which UMW employees who meet the following criteria can apply to receive:
-Full time or wage position
-Annual salary greater that $15,000
-Job duties which include overnight travel at least twice a year
The GE Travel MasterCard is essentially a personal credit card that will be used ONLY FOR OFFICIAL STATE BUSINESS TRAVEL-RELATED SERVICES (lodging establishments, restaurants, public transportation and car rentals and associated travel services). The UMW employee can apply for a card based on the employee's personal credit history; the bill will go directly to the employee's PERSONAL HOME address; and the employee is personally responsible for paying the bill on time--whether or not the employee has received reimbursement from the University.
The difference between the GE Travel MasterCard personal credit card and a personal credit card obtained "on your own" is the following:
1. Both the state and UMW conduct on-line monthly reviews of GE Travel MasterCard statements to make sure the cardholder has only appropriate charges (only official business TRAVEL-RELATED expenses) and to make sure the card is not in a "delinquent payment" status.
2. The cardholder has to complete annual on-line training courses that are administered by the State Comptroller's office in Richmond.
3. IF YOUR PAYMENT HAS NOT BEEN RECEIVED AT GE MASTERCARD BY THE 15TH OF EACH MONTH (IF THE 15TH FALLS ON A WEEKEND, THE PAYMENT IS DUE THERE THE FRIDAY BEFORE THE 15TH) THE UMW PA WILL CALL AND EMAIL YOU DAILY UNTIL PAYMENT IS MADE.
Failure to pay GE MasterCard based upon GE MasterCard's terms may negatively affect the individual's credit. The individual is responsible for notifying GE MasterCard of home address changes.
NOTE: The UMW Program Administrator for the GE Travel MasterCard is mandated by the state to check each cardholder’s travel card statement on-line monthly in order to ensure proper use and prompt payments. A cardholder will be allowed two offenses before his/her card is permanently cancelled. An "offense" is defined as a late payment or an inappropriate charge. An "inappropriate charge" would be any charge other than an official business TRAVEL-related expense. EXCEPTION TO "TWO OFFENSES BEFORE CANCELLING CARD": GE MasterCard will automatically "PERMANENTLY cancel" any card that is delinquent 90 days or more--even if it is a "first offense" of the cardholder.
If there are any charges on the card that appear to be inappropriate i.e., not official business TRAVEL-related charges, the UMW Program Administrator for the GE Travel MasterCard will email the cardholder for an explanation. If the charge is determined to be anything other than an official business TRAVEL-related charge, the charge will be considered an offense. If any cardholder has two offenses (two inappropriate charges, two late payments or two of a combination of either one) the UMW Program Administrator will automatically permanently cancel the cardholder's card.
The cardholder is personally responsible for payment of the charges and any late fees incurred whether or not the traveler has received reimbursement by the University. Any late payments to GE MasterCard reflect on the cardholder’s personal credit information—not the University’s credit; HOWEVER, these types of offenses (inappropriate charges and late payments) by cardholders cause the University to be listed in the Quarterly Report, which can negatively affect the funding for UMW.
Travel Reimbursement Request Forms should be submitted immediately after returning from travel to better ensure your reimbursement reaching you before your GE MasterCard Travel Card payment is due. Original, itemized, detailed receipts must be submitted with the completed Travel Reimbursement Request Form for reimbursable expenses as defined by the state. You do NOT need to submit receipts for meals purchased for overnight travel as a per diem is paid by the University; you WILL need to submit original, detailed, itemized meal receipts for Business Meal reimbursements. Detailed Business Meal regulations can be found at www.umw.edu/ap/businessmeals and detailed travel regulations can be found at www.umw.edu/ap/travel. It is strongly recommended that you read these sites.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES
If a UMW employee (who meets the stated eligibility requirements above) wishes to apply for a GE Travel MasterCard, follow these procedures:
1. Print, READ, sign and date the UMW Employee GE Travel MasterCard Agreement
2. Print and COMPLETE the GE Travel MasterCard Application. NOTE: If all sections of the form are not complete, the form will be returned to the employee.
3. PRINT this web page and SIGN EACH PAGE as proof that you have read the entire page.
4. Write the "secret code" (from the state-mandated on-line course; the link to the site is below) on the GE Travel MasterCard Application. The state requires that ALL GE Travel MasterCard Cardholders complete an on-line training session annually found at the DOA web site (click here); (use the "New Travel Cardholder Training" session). This on-line training session is required and provided by the Department of Accounts (State Comptroller’s Office). You are also required to show “proof” that you took this on-line training by submitting a “secret code” to “your Program Administrator.” (The “secret code” is provided in the training session, and your “Program Administrator” is Laura Temple.) The “secret code” will serve as proof to auditors that you completed the training session and that UMW is following the state’s policies regarding the GE Travel MasterCard.
5. PRINT and read section 20360 from the State Comptroller's web site. Section 20360 contains some information that is not applicable to cardholders; however, the state mandates that each cardholder have a copy of this section 20360, so print it and read it in order to be in compliance with state regulations. You will be held responsible for information that applies to the cardholder in this section.
Submit ALL FOUR (4) requirements (1-4) listed above to the Accounts Payable Department at Centre Court, Suite 104.
What happens after the employee submits the four requirements?
1. The UMW Program Administrator will enter the application information on-line directly to GE MasterCard.
2. The approval process for card applications is done by GE MasterCard and is based upon the employee’s—not the University’s—information such as credit history, etc.
3. If the application is approved, GE MasterCard sends a confirmation email to the PA to forward to the employee.
4. The PA forwards the confirmation email from GE MasterCard to the employee. The employee MUST respond to the GE MasterCard confirmation email within 2 days or the credit card application process is automatically canceled.
5. After the employee has confirmed the application request directly with GE MasterCard, GE MasterCard will send the credit card to the UMW Program Administrator.5a. The UMW Program Administrator will contact the cardholder by email when the card arrives on the UMW campus.
5b. The cardholder will come to the Accounts Payable office to pick-up his/her card and sign that he/she picked up the card. (NOTE: Call before coming to the Accounts Payable office to make sure someone is in the Accounts Payable office to give you the card.)
5c. The UMW Program Administrator for the GE Travel MasterCard will email the cardholder annually and will ask the cardholder to submit the "secret code" from the state's on-line training. If the cardholder does not provide the "secret code" to the UMW Program Administrator by the due date that is given to the cardholder in the email, the UMW Program Administrator will automatically cancel the card. (All of this information from "5c" will be included in the annual email from the UMW Program Administrator.)6. If GE MasterCard denies an application, GE MasterCard notifies the UMW Program Administrator of any denied applications; however, they do not disclose the reason for the denial. The UMW Program Administrator will let the employee know that his/her application was denied by GE MasterCard.
How do I make sure my payment is received at GE MasterCard BEFORE the 15th of each month?
The cardholder should pay by telephone call 1-866-834-3227 or on-line at www.genetservice.com and follow the directions on that site.
What happens when the GE MasterCard is canceled?
The state (CAPP section 20360) requires the cardholder to pay the FULL balance THE DAY THE CARD IS CANCELED--NOT on the 15th cycle. If the cardholder does not pay the balance immediately upon cancellation of the card--regardless of travel reimbursement status from UMW--Accounts Payable will notify Payroll to withhold the amount, as agreed on the Employee Agreement that the cardholder signed. (INITIAL HERE TO PROVE THAT YOU CLEARLY UNDERSTAND THIS PAYROLL WITHHOLDING RESULT.) The cardholder should pay by telephone call 1-866-834-3227 or on-line at www.genetservice.com and follow the directions on that site.
Please contact Accounts Payable payables@umw.edu with questions regarding the GE MasterCard Travel Charge Card.
I certify that I have reviewed the above information and have printed the required CAPP section 20360 as mentioned above.
Signature and Date