What to Know: Professional Membership & Certification Reimbursement

Questions have recently come up regarding reimbursement for professional membership dues and certifications. Because these expenses follow different reimbursement processes, here’s a quick guide to help research staff know where to start.

Professional Membership Dues

CRCs, CRAs, and other research support staff within the Office of Research Operations and Strategic Initiatives (OROSI) may request reimbursement for eligible professional membership dues, including memberships with organizations such as the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP), by submitting an expense report through Workday.

Support Your Growth with Certification Reimbursement | Inside Carilion

When creating the expense report, use the following:

• Business Purpose: Dues, Memberships
• Company: CP01
• Cost Center: Consult with your manager about the cost center
• Expense Item: Professional Membership

The expense report will route to Vera Hollen, Grants Management Director, for approval.

This process applies to research support staff within the OROSI. Research staff hired directly by individual departments should work with their department regarding professional membership expenses, as departments may cover these fees at their discretion.

Certification Reimbursement

Certification expenses are handled differently from professional membership dues. Under Carilion's certification reimbursement policy, certifications that are required for an employee's job role are eligible for reimbursement through Human Resources.

Employees should follow the current Certification Reimbursement guidelines available through the Employee Center. Human Resources General Knowledge - Certification Reimbursement

Unable to Pay Up Front?
Employees who are unable to pay the certification expense in advance can use the link provided within the Certification Reimbursement guidance to submit an HR inquiry through Employee Center for assistance.

Remember the Difference:

Professional membership dues → Workday Expense Report

Required job certification → HR Certification Reimbursement process

Keeping these two processes separate will help ensure reimbursement requests are submitted through the appropriate channel and routed correctly.