Business Policies and Procedures Manual
Chapter 95: Travel

BPPM 95.25

For more information contact:
   Travel Services
   509-335-2038

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Hiring a Speaker

Departments frequently conduct programs which include individuals with expertise who present or participate in lectures, seminars, productions, or conferences. Prior to hiring a speaker or conference participant, the sponsoring department must decide whether the individual should be hired as an employee or as an independent contractor.

Contractor

An independent contractor presents material based upon personal experience, specific expertise, or other information. An independent contractor does not have continuing responsibility. See BPPM 70.50 and 60.01 for definitions of an independent contractor.

Employee

An employee is responsible for conducting a class which includes presentation of the material, evaluation, and related responsibilities. The duration of the class is not a factor. Faculty who team teach a course are considered employees. These faculty titles may be visiting professors or visiting lecturers.

If proposed duties are employee duties the individual should be hired as a University employee. See BPPM Chapter 60 for personnel procedures.

Foreign Speaker

If the speaker is a nonresident alien, refer to BPPM 60.05 or contact Payroll Services for special instructions; telephone 509-335-9575.

Prior Authorization (Independent Contractor)

If the proposed speaker is an independent contractor, the department must complete a Create Requisition business process to authorize the fee and any necessary travel expenses. (See BPPM 70.50 and the Workday Create Requisition reference guide and other applicable Workday Procurement reference guides.)

If the Requisition is approved, the departmental buyer or the buyer in Purchasing Services then creates a Purchase Order and Supplier Invoice in Workday to complete authorization of the expenses.

Under $10,000

To authorize the travel expenses and/or fee if the proposed fee is less than $10,000, the department completes a Create Request business process in Workday, selecting the Payment Request as the request type. The department must describe the nonemployee speaker travel and attach a State of Washington Invoice Voucher to the Payment Request. See BPPM 30.45 and 95.01 and the nonservice payment requests subsection of the Workday Create Supplier Invoice Request reference guide for Create Request—Payment Request instructions.

Billing

After the event or program, the department must complete a Create Request business process in Workday, selecting the Payment Request as the request type, to claim payment for expenses associated with speaker and conference participant expenses.

The department must describe the nonemployee speaker travel and attach a State of Washington Invoice Voucher to the Payment Request. See BPPM 30.45 and 95.01 and the nonservice payment requests subsection of the Workday Create Supplier Invoice Request reference guide for Create Request—Payment Request instructions.

Taxpayer Identification

Obtain the speaker’s taxpayer identification number, i.e., social security number or employee identification number. Enter the number on the Create Request—Payment Request in Workday and the attached State of Washington Invoice Voucher. WSU uses this number to meet IRS reporting requirements.

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Revisions:  Jan. 2021 (Rev. 560); June 2012 (Rev. 398); Mar. 2012 (Rev. 395); Feb. 2010 (Rev. 356); Dec. 2004 (Rev. 251); Sept. 1998 (Rev. 126); Aug. 1993 (Rev. 92); July 1992 – moved from BPPM 70.51 (Rev. 89); Mar. 1988 – new policy (Rev. 70).