Gift Cards/Certificates Policy

Gift Cards/Certificates may be used as prizes and awards and will be considered gifts. 

The purchase of gift cards/certificates must be authorized in advance following the procedure outlined in the Gift Policy.  A Gift Reporting Form or a completed Gift Certificate template should accompany a Payment Request Form to make a purchase using either university or foundation funds.  Names of individuals receiving gift cards/certificates must be forwarded to Financial Services by the end of the month the individual receives the gift card/certificate.

There will be no personal reimbursements for gift certificate purchases.  Gift certificate purchases can not be charged by using the P-Card or charging at the Missouri State University Bookstore.

Gift Card/Certificates to employees (faculty, staff or student) are considered a cash equivalent and are subject to the provisions for cash awards.  According to the Internal Revenue Services' Publication 15-b, page 8 in reference to taxable employee wages,  "cash and cash equivalent fringe benefits (for example, use of gift card, charge card, or credit card), no matter how little are never excludable (from income) as a de minimis benefit."  The value of the gift card/certificate is reported as taxable income in the Payroll system and appears on an employee’s W-2.