SOJ Honorarium Policy

Each class is allotted $450 per semester to provide for guest speaker honoraria. This amount is per class (not per instructor) and does not vary based on the number of instructors or course credits. Funds do not roll over and will be reallocated each semester.

Faculty Responsibility: It is the responsibility of the faculty to share the required payment documentation and instructions with their guest speakers. Please ensure guests receive the forms well in advance so they can meet the stated deadlines.  If the required paperwork is not submitted by the last day of class, the guest will not receive payment.

Important Note: If the guest speaker is currently employed by another CUNY campus, please contact the Finance Office and Marie Desir before scheduling the speaker. This ensures there are no restrictions and that the individual can be paid on time.

If your guest cancels, please notify the Finance Office so that payment is not processed.

This honorarium request form won’t be for approval, but only for keeping track of who is coming to campus and the amount spent. The honorarium request form must be submitted at least 10 days prior to the guest speaking engagement.

Please be sure to read the guidelines below before submitting an honorarium request.

Requirements for Guest Payment

Deadlines: Guests can’t be paid until they submit the applicable forms below by or before the deadline

• Fall Semester Deadline:  Dec. 31
• Spring Semester Deadline: May 31

Payment Option 1: If your guest wishes to receive payment by ACH/Wire, you will need to share one of the following sets of forms as well as the notes below with your guest

• For U.S. residents:
  • IRS Tax Form W9
  • Domestic Bank Account – ACH Form

• For international guest speakers:
• • IRS Tax Form W8
  • International Bank – Wire Form

The above ACH or Wire form must be submitted along with one of the following: voided check, redacted bank statement, or a bank verification letter (on bank letterhead)  that includes the name on the account, account number, and routing number.

Payment Option 2: If your guest speaker wishes to receive payment by Check, the guest must only submit one of the IRS Tax forms below and provide a current US mailing address on the form (checks cannot be mailed internationally). Please share one of the following forms along with the notes below with your guest:

• For U.S. residents:
  • IRS Tax Form W9
• For international Guest speakers:
  • IRS Tax Form W8

Notes for above Payment Options 1 and 2 – to share with your guest: 

1. All documentation must be in the guest’s legal name.  (For guests who use a professional name, we ask they include that name in addition to their legal name, so documents can be identified.)  We cannot pay the guest’s business, including LLCs. 
2. Guests must upload all documents to our secure link and not via email. Documents should be uploaded to the secure link in the following naming convention (Last Name_File Type – File Naming Example: Smith_ACH or Brown_Voidcheck). Failure to upload the requested documentation to the secure link in the requested naming convention may cause a delay in the processing of payment.
3. If your guest has completed and submitted the above forms and provided the required documents as indicated above, within the last 12 months, and there has been no change in their bank information or resident status, or mailing address on the W9 or W8 form, then they do not have to complete and resubmit the applicable forms and documents above.

NOTE: For guests who have been within the last two years a CUNY/State/City employee, Finance will reach out to both the faculty and guests.