Hospitality Showdown
Sam Smith, CFO of TVO (Ontario Agency) had a business meeting with CEO of TVO Disco Valero and Saul Goodman, Founder and Lawyer at Better Call Saul.
Is this hospitality?
Answer: Saul Goodman is a lawyer and does not currently have a contract with TVO. Sam Smith occasionally meets with Saul to ask for legal advice for TVO which is actually cheaper than paying Saul $500/hour legal fee.
Yes, this is hospitality.
Nick Lachey from Love is Blind Agency is claiming a hospitality lunch with 8 employees from Love is Blind Agency and 4 consultants from Netflix. After a long year of working on a project, it is finally complete and Nick Lachey, CEO wants to host a thank you hospitality lunch. Total cost $251.28, 12 attendees.
Answer: No, this is not hospitality. This would be considered a social meal, and we would not even pass review on a working meal component. Overpayment of $251.28.
Emily Collins, CFO of TFO (French provincial agency) travelled to Paris, France to attend the AMO Conference where lunch was provided daily. She left the conference and met with Sylvie Grateau from Agence Grateau over lunch to learn more about French culture and possibly to find out about any opportunities if she moves to Paris. Emily has only claimed her portion of hospitality in the amount of $70.00 canadian.
Nope! Hospitality cannot be extended only to employees engaged in the work of the provincial government. Because Emily is on travel status she is entitled to lunch, however, there isn’t a valid business purpose provided as it related to TFO and because the conference provided lunch, the entire amount of $70.00 is an overpayment.
Meredith Grey, CEO of Cancer Care Ontario (agency) is planning a consultation session with other health care providers to set up direction and plan for various clinical programs. Cancer Care will provide meals at this function which will be onsite. The attendees are Cancer Cancer staff, hospital administrators, care providers, physicians such as surgeons, oncologists, social workers and psychologists.
Cancer Care will provide a lunch and the consultation will take approximately 2-3 uninterrupted. Approx. cost $350.00 for 40 guests.
Answer: Yes! As the function includes persons who are not covered by TMHED and are non-OPS employees, this event would fall within the realm of a formal conference/meeting.
Dre Johnson, CEO of Howard Agency (provincial agency) met with the Mayor of Toronto to discuss upcoming events for the city of Toronto. The Mayor of Toronto paid for their own meal as they had a gift card that they wanted to use and Dre Johnson, paid for his half of the hospitality lunch. (each paid $25.00)
Is this hospitality?
Trick question: Yes, it is hospitality as municipal government falls outside of the directive, however, because the Mayor is paying for their own meal, Dre cannot claim hospitality only for their meal. In this case, they would only be entitled to regular meal rates. Overpayment of $12.50
Meredith Grey, CEO of Cancer Care Ontario is meeting with the Minister of Long Term Health Care to discuss 2025 budgets over lunch.The total meal costs is $60.00
Answer: If it is the Ontario minister of long term care, it is a working meal. If it is the federal minister of long term are, it is hospitality.
Vanessa Lachey, Chair of Love is Blind (Ontario Agency) is claiming a hospitality dinner with an employee. The business purpose provided states: Taking Chelsea Blackwell of Love is Blind on their last day as a good bye dinner. At the time of the dinner, the employee is no longer an employee of Love is Blind. Total hospitality $100.00
Answer: No. This would be considered a social dinner. Regardless of whether the employee is an employee at the time of the dinner there is not a business purpose that would meet the criteria for extending hospitality.
Mike Ross the CEO of Suits (Ontario Agency) met with CEO of Rogers. The total amount spent was $58.88. Business purpose for hospitality: unknown.
Answer: We don’t know. Since a business purpose was not provided we cannot confirm if this meets the criteria for extending hospitality, so it would not pass review and we would ask for a repayment of $58.88