{"id":159109,"date":"2024-01-15T06:22:13","date_gmt":"2024-01-15T05:22:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/else-holmfred-koebte-ny-arbejdstelefon-nu-haefter-hun-personligt-for-ti-tusind-kroner\/"},"modified":"2024-01-15T10:43:09","modified_gmt":"2024-01-15T09:43:09","slug":"else-holmfred-bought-a-new-work-phone-now-she-has-to-pay-dkk-10000-herself","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/else-holmfred-bought-a-new-work-phone-now-she-has-to-pay-dkk-10000-herself\/","title":{"rendered":"Else Holmfred bought a new work phone. Now she has to pay DKK 10,000 herself"},"content":{"rendered":"

A good DKK 10,000.<\/p>\n

This is what Else Holmfred, a postdoc at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, is now out of pocket. And it is due to what she calls ambiguous, opaque rules on the reimbursement of workplace expenses.<\/p>\n

\u00bbIt’s very unfortunate that the sluggish response and lack of transparency at UCPH now ends up with me being personally liable for several thousand kroner,\u00ab she says.<\/p>\n

Else Holmfred is a postdoc at the Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, and is currently stationed at Stanford University in the US. Her appointment is based on an external grant from the Novo Nordisk Foundation that is administered by the University of Copenhagen. All her work expenses have to therefore be approved via the UCPH reimbursement portal RejsUd.<\/p>\n

This was also the case when she recently needed a new work phone. It cost DKK 10,101, and because it would make a dent in Else Holmfred’s personal finances, she bought the phone partly with a personal gift card she had lying around.<\/p>\n

\u00bbI logged my expenses into RejsUd on the same day of the purchase, as I reckoned this was a lot of money to have floating around the system. I expected to get a response within 14 days, as this is what it states in the Employee Guide,\u00ab she says.<\/p>\n

It’s very unfortunate that the sluggish response and lack of transparency at UCPH now ends up with me being personally liable for several thousand kroner<\/p>\n

Else Holmfred, postdoc, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

17 days passed before Else Holmfred got a reply. UCPH could not cover outlays paid with personal gift cards.<\/p>\n

\u00bbAt that point, the 14-day right of withdrawal on my purchase had expired, so I could not return the phone and buy it without the use of a gift card,\u00ab says Else Holmfred.<\/p>\n

She therefore wrote to the accounts department asking where she could find the specific rule on the use of personal gift cards.<\/p>\n

\u00bbHere I was told that they \u2018cannot write down rules for all possible cases of settling expenses.\u2019 So I should have, apparently, just known that you are not allowed to use personal gift cards. But how was I to know?,\u00ab Else Holmfred asks and adds:<\/p>\n

\u00bbI don’t even know where I can go to complain about it.\u00ab<\/p>\n

\u00bbWhere do they draw the line on this?\u00ab<\/h3>\n

The University Post has seen the emails that have been sent between Else Holmfred and various employees in the accounts department. And according to the researcher, this is not the first time she has experienced problems and confusion about which rules apply in the reimbursement of expenses.<\/p>\n

\u00bbI have had outlays rejected previously,\u00ab she says and elaborates:<\/p>\n

It is a problem when young and often low-paid staff like PhD students and postdocs have to put down large amounts on their own<\/p>\n

Else Holmfred, postdoc, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u00bbI have a lot of lab work, and it’s hard on my hands. Back home at UCPH I would have had hand cream available. But I don’t have that in the US. I have therefore bought a hand cream, for which I applied for a refund. It was refused. Maybe this is fair. But it’s just not stated anywhere. Where do they draw the line on this?\u00ab<\/p>\n

As a temporary employee at the university, you cannot generally get a UCPH credit card, and have to often pay out large amounts yourself, unless you can get your department or faculty to do so, says Else Holmfred.<\/p>\n

\u00bbIt is a problem when young and often low-paid staff like PhD students and postdocs have to put down large amounts on their own. Especially when there is no clarity about what it is that you can get reimbursed,\u00ab says Else Holmfred.<\/p>\n

Else Holmfred’s husband Silas Boye Nissen is employed as a postdoc at Panum. He is also stationed at Stanford University. He has faced uncertainties in terms of outlays multiple times, says Else Holmfred.<\/p>\n

\u00bbSilas recently had to buy a specialty computer for programming, which cost DKK 40,000. To be on the safe side, he contacted the accounting department at UCPH to find out how. One employee said he should buy the computer via the UCPH purchasing agreements. Another employee said he could just buy it in a regular store and then upload his receipt into RejsUd,\u00ab says Else Holmfred.<\/p>\n

The University Post has also seen the email exchange between Silas Boye Nissen and the accounting staff concerning the purchase of the new computer. Silas Boye Nissen ended up asking Stanford University for help with the purchase, as he did not want to risk being liable for the amount. He found the UCPH communication on the issue to be unclear.<\/p>\n

\u00bbFrom friends and colleagues, I hear about how people sometimes refraining from going on trips abroad because they have to spend huge amounts of money themselves. This summer, Silas paid himself for a trip to a conference in Japan and South Korea. It cost DKK 50,000,\u00ab says Else Holmfred.<\/p>\n

What are the rules, exactly?<\/h3>\n

The accounts section at UCPH does not wish to be interviewed. But they will answer a number of questions in writing.<\/p>\n

The head of the unit Allan V\u00f8lding Petersen says that the accounts section cannot comment on this specific case. Instead he refers to the University of Copenhagen’s rules for travelling and expenses, which can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

I believe that sufficient information has been provided. But if you are in doubt you should consult the local accounting centre<\/p>\n

Allan V\u00f8lding Petersen, head of unit, accounts section, UCPH<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u00bbIn terms of payment of purchases, UCPH can refer to the fact that, as a general rule, an e-invoice must be sent to UCPH via IndFak for payment of UCPH-related purchases. UCPH also provides personal UCPH credit cards. A UCPH credit card can be used in connection with business trips and minor UCPH-related purchases,\u00ab writes Allan V\u00f8lding Petersen. He continues:<\/p>\n

\u00bbA small purchase is defined as an amount below DKK 3,000, otherwise a full invoice must be addressed to UCPH. That is why, as a general rule, UCPH advises against employees using their own private payment card as payment for UCPH-associated expenses.\u00ab<\/p>\n

In the written reply, he also states that UCPH \u00bbcannot state all the rules for payment options.\u00ab<\/p>\n

We understand from the employee that contacted us that it is not generally possible for temporary staff to get a UCPH credit card. This is why they have had to make the outlay themselves. Is that correct?<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00bbNo, there are no regulations stating that. If you have an employment contract for UCPH and your local manager can approve it, you can order a UCPH MasterCard,\u00ab writes Allan V\u00f8lding Petersen.<\/p>\n

Is it normal practice that an employee is held personally liable for an outlay if the person has made the purchase ‘incorrectly’ by paying the purchase themselves instead of making the purchase through an e-invoice via IndFak?<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00bbNot as a rule. No.\u00ab<\/p>\n

Do you reckon UCPH employees have been properly informed about the rules?<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00bbYes, I believe that sufficient information has been provided. But if you are in doubt you should consult the local accounting centre.\u00ab
\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Putting up your own money for the University of Copenhagen (UCPH) can turn out to be costly. Postdoc Else Holmfred is now personally liable for several thousands of kroner and calls for more reimbursement transparency. 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Now she has to pay DKK 10,000 herself"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/#website","url":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/","name":"University Post","description":"Independent of management","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/#\/schema\/person\/1e4195d7a29af9515c79f62e39cc8b9b","name":"Camilla Skovgaard","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0041bcbe7878ff0a96907c167293ec08051266fb28cdc0ef44598cb0049b5288?s=96&d=identicon&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0041bcbe7878ff0a96907c167293ec08051266fb28cdc0ef44598cb0049b5288?s=96&d=identicon&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0041bcbe7878ff0a96907c167293ec08051266fb28cdc0ef44598cb0049b5288?s=96&d=identicon&r=g","caption":"Camilla Skovgaard"},"url":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/author\/camilla-skovgaard-thomsen\/"}]}},"advancedCustomFields":{"expression":{"term_id":15,"name":"News Article","slug":"news_article","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":15,"taxonomy":"expression","description":"","parent":0,"count":11488,"filter":"raw"},"enable_comments":true,"align_content":"alignleft","feature_color":"","article_updated":"","layout_group":[{"acf_fc_layout":"Headline","use_post_title":true,"headline":"","style":"default","highlighted_words":"","text_size":"small"},{"acf_fc_layout":"Image","image":{"ID":159101,"id":159101,"title":"Billede - Else","filename":"billedeelse-scaled.jpg","filesize":908482,"url":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/billedeelse-scaled.jpg","link":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/else-holmfred-koebte-ny-arbejdstelefon-nu-haefter-hun-personligt-for-ti-tusind-kroner\/billede-else\/","alt":"","author":"99","description":"","caption":"\u00bbJeg aner ikke engang, hvor jeg kan henvende mig for at klage over det,\u00ab siger postdoc Else Holmfred, der har f\u00e5et afvist at f\u00e5 et udl\u00e6g refunderet.","name":"billede-else","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":159100,"date":"2024-01-11 15:12:49","modified":"2024-01-11 17:29:26","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1707,"height":2560,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/billedeelse-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/billedeelse-480x720.jpg","medium-width":480,"medium-height":720,"medium_large":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/billedeelse-768x1152.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":1152,"large":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/billedeelse-1280x1920.jpg","large-width":1280,"large-height":1920,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/billedeelse-1024x1536.jpg","1536x1536-width":1024,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/billedeelse-1365x2048.jpg","2048x2048-width":1365,"2048x2048-height":2048,"featured-soft":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/billedeelse-290x435.jpg","featured-soft-width":290,"featured-soft-height":435,"featured-hard":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/billedeelse-290x180.jpg","featured-hard-width":290,"featured-hard-height":180,"narrow":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/billedeelse-700x1050.jpg","narrow-width":700,"narrow-height":1050,"extended":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/billedeelse-990x1485.jpg","extended-width":990,"extended-height":1485}},"style":"extended","text_placement":"metadata-below","image_link_url":"","image_link_title":"","caption_prefix":"","enable_alternative_caption":true,"alternative_caption":"\u00bbI don't even know where I can complain about this,\u00ab says postdoc Else Holmfred, who has had the reimbursement of her outlay for a phone rejected."},{"acf_fc_layout":"Standfirst","subject":"Expenses","text":"Putting up your own money for the University of Copenhagen (UCPH) can turn out to be costly. Postdoc Else Holmfred is now personally liable for several thousands of kroner and calls for more reimbursement transparency. According to the accounts section the amount of information is sufficient.","use_post_excerpt":false},{"acf_fc_layout":"Byline","is_author":true,"contributors":false},{"acf_fc_layout":"Content","content":"<p>A good DKK 10,000.<\/p>\n<p>This is what Else Holmfred, a postdoc at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, is now out of pocket. And it is due to what she calls ambiguous, opaque rules on the reimbursement of workplace expenses.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbIt’s very unfortunate that the sluggish response and lack of transparency at UCPH now ends up with me being personally liable for several thousand kroner,\u00ab she says.<\/p>\n<p>Else Holmfred is a postdoc at the Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, and is currently stationed at Stanford University in the US. Her appointment is based on an external grant from the Novo Nordisk Foundation that is administered by the University of Copenhagen. All her work expenses have to therefore be approved via the UCPH reimbursement portal RejsUd.<\/p>\n<p>This was also the case when she recently needed a new work phone. It cost DKK 10,101, and because it would make a dent in Else Holmfred’s personal finances, she bought the phone partly with a personal gift card she had lying around.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbI logged my expenses into RejsUd on the same day of the purchase, as I reckoned this was a lot of money to have floating around the system. I expected to get a response within 14 days, as this is what it states in the Employee Guide,\u00ab she says.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>It’s very unfortunate that the sluggish response and lack of transparency at UCPH now ends up with me being personally liable for several thousand kroner<\/p>\n<p class=\"quotee\">Else Holmfred, postdoc, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>17 days passed before Else Holmfred got a reply. UCPH could not cover outlays paid with personal gift cards.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbAt that point, the 14-day right of withdrawal on my purchase had expired, so I could not return the phone and buy it without the use of a gift card,\u00ab says Else Holmfred.<\/p>\n<p>She therefore wrote to the accounts department asking where she could find the specific rule on the use of personal gift cards.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbHere I was told that they \u2018cannot write down rules for all possible cases of settling expenses.\u2019 So I should have, apparently, just known that you are not allowed to use personal gift cards. But how was I to know?,\u00ab Else Holmfred asks and adds:<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbI don’t even know where I can go to complain about it.\u00ab<\/p>\n<h3>\u00bbWhere do they draw the line on this?\u00ab<\/h3>\n<p>The University Post has seen the emails that have been sent between Else Holmfred and various employees in the accounts department. And according to the researcher, this is not the first time she has experienced problems and confusion about which rules apply in the reimbursement of expenses.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbI have had outlays rejected previously,\u00ab she says and elaborates:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>It is a problem when young and often low-paid staff like PhD students and postdocs have to put down large amounts on their own<\/p>\n<p class=\"quotee\">Else Holmfred, postdoc, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>\u00bbI have a lot of lab work, and it’s hard on my hands. Back home at UCPH I would have had hand cream available. But I don’t have that in the US. I have therefore bought a hand cream, for which I applied for a refund. It was refused. Maybe this is fair. But it’s just not stated anywhere. Where do they draw the line on this?\u00ab<\/p>\n<p>As a temporary employee at the university, you cannot generally get a UCPH credit card, and have to often pay out large amounts yourself, unless you can get your department or faculty to do so, says Else Holmfred.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbIt is a problem when young and often low-paid staff like PhD students and postdocs have to put down large amounts on their own. Especially when there is no clarity about what it is that you can get reimbursed,\u00ab says Else Holmfred.<\/p>\n<p>Else Holmfred’s husband Silas Boye Nissen is employed as a postdoc at Panum. He is also stationed at Stanford University. He has faced uncertainties in terms of outlays multiple times, says Else Holmfred.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbSilas recently had to buy a specialty computer for programming, which cost DKK 40,000. To be on the safe side, he contacted the accounting department at UCPH to find out how. One employee said he should buy the computer via the UCPH purchasing agreements. Another employee said he could just buy it in a regular store and then upload his receipt into RejsUd,\u00ab says Else Holmfred.<\/p>\n<p>The University Post has also seen the email exchange between Silas Boye Nissen and the accounting staff concerning the purchase of the new computer. Silas Boye Nissen ended up asking Stanford University for help with the purchase, as he did not want to risk being liable for the amount. He found the UCPH communication on the issue to be unclear.<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbFrom friends and colleagues, I hear about how people sometimes refraining from going on trips abroad because they have to spend huge amounts of money themselves. This summer, Silas paid himself for a trip to a conference in Japan and South Korea. It cost DKK 50,000,\u00ab says Else Holmfred.<\/p>\n<h3>What are the rules, exactly?<\/h3>\n<p>The accounts section at UCPH does not wish to be interviewed. But they will answer a number of questions in writing.<\/p>\n<p>The head of the unit Allan V\u00f8lding Petersen says that the accounts section cannot comment on this specific case. Instead he refers to the University of Copenhagen’s rules for travelling and expenses, <a href=\"https:\/\/kunet.ku.dk\/arbejdsomraader\/oekonomi\/alledokumenter\/KUs%20rejseregler\/Regler%20for%20rejser,%20repr%C3%A6sentation%20mv.pdf\">which can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>I believe that sufficient information has been provided. But if you are in doubt you should consult the local accounting centre<\/p>\n<p class=\"quotee\">Allan V\u00f8lding Petersen, head of unit, accounts section, UCPH<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>\u00bbIn terms of payment of purchases, UCPH can refer to the fact that, as a general rule, an e-invoice must be sent to UCPH via IndFak for payment of UCPH-related purchases. UCPH also provides personal UCPH credit cards. A UCPH credit card can be used in connection with business trips and minor UCPH-related purchases,\u00ab writes Allan V\u00f8lding Petersen. He continues:<\/p>\n<p>\u00bbA small purchase is defined as an amount below DKK 3,000, otherwise a full invoice must be addressed to UCPH. That is why, as a general rule, UCPH advises against employees using their own private payment card as payment for UCPH-associated expenses.\u00ab<\/p>\n<p>In the written reply, he also states that UCPH \u00bbcannot state all the rules for payment options.\u00ab<\/p>\n<p><em>We understand from the employee that contacted us that it is not generally possible for temporary staff to get a UCPH credit card. This is why they have had to make the outlay themselves. Is that correct?<\/em><\/p>\n<p>\u00bbNo, there are no regulations stating that. If you have an employment contract for UCPH and your local manager can approve it, you can order a UCPH MasterCard,\u00ab writes Allan V\u00f8lding Petersen.<\/p>\n<p><em>Is it normal practice that an employee is held personally liable for an outlay if the person has made the purchase ‘incorrectly’ by paying the purchase themselves instead of making the purchase through an e-invoice via IndFak?<\/em><\/p>\n<p>\u00bbNot as a rule. No.\u00ab<\/p>\n<p><em>Do you reckon UCPH employees have been properly informed about the rules?<\/em><\/p>\n<p>\u00bbYes, I believe that sufficient information has been provided. But if you are in doubt you should consult the local accounting centre.\u00ab<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"ArticleEnd"},{"acf_fc_layout":"Newsletter","lang_select":"en","identifier":"Newsletter","headline":"Get an email with our top stories","button_text":"Sign up here","class":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"OtherStories","headline":"","hand_picked_posts":false,"references":false,"category":false,"theme":false,"number_of_posts":"4","style":"default"}]},"taxonomyData":{"category":[{"term_id":4539,"name":"Working environment","slug":"arbejdsmiljoe-en","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":4539,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":95,"filter":"raw"}],"post_tag":[],"post_format":[],"expression":[{"term_id":15,"name":"News Article","slug":"news_article","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":15,"taxonomy":"expression","description":"","parent":0,"count":11488,"filter":"raw"}],"translation_priority":[{"term_id":5468,"name":"Optional","slug":"optional-en","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":5468,"taxonomy":"translation_priority","description":"","parent":0,"count":672,"filter":"raw"}]},"featured_media_url":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/billedeelse-1-1280x910.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/159109","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/99"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=159109"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/159109\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":159117,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/159109\/revisions\/159117"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/159104"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=159109"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=159109"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=159109"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}