Employees working from home during the coronavirus pandemic claimed some outlandish expenses this year, including pricey exercise bikes, facelifts and private jets.
Emburse, an expense management software company, released a compilation Wednesday of some of the craziest expenses it has seen claimed this year, some of which were actually approved. That included $1,895, which was approved as a contribution for an employee's Peloton Bike under the explanation of “for health and wellness.” On the other hand, a $7,600 expense claim for a facelift was submitted under the category of “repairs and maintenance” but was rejected, despite the pressing need to look one’s best during a Zoom meeting.
Anthony DeStefano is a CPA and CFCM with years of experience in accounting, government contracting and taxes who operates a practice in Somerdale, New Jersey.
Mark Segal, PhD, is principal at Digital Health Policy Advisors, a digital health policy consultancy. He provides strategic counsel to clients on such issues as interoperability policy, value-based payment programs, and health IT regulation and patient safety. Until December 2017, Mark was vice president of government and industry affairs for GE Healthcare Digital. He has provided advice to ONC and CMS and has been active as a leader and expert participant in numerous health IT-related organizations and efforts addressing critical policy issues
Diane Robinette is CEO of Incisive Software, a leading provider of spreadsheet risk intelligence solution. She has more than 20 years of experience in strategic planning, marketing, product management, business operations and management, and has worked in companies from start-up to large enterprises in various industries including high tech, aerospace and defense, telecommunications, financial services, and transportation.
Some expenses weren’t for working from home, but more about getting out of the house safely. An expense claim for a private jet charter costing over $20,000 was submitted and approved under the explanation of “required to limit COVID exposure for international shoots.” Another travel-related expense claim was $2,500 for a helicopter ride, which was not approved.
The $79 expense claim for a dog crate could perhaps be used for travel at some point when that's safer, but in these times it was more plausibly to provide "crate training [for] a new COVID puppy to not run into Zoom meetings."
Below is an infographic produced by Emburse showing this and several other head-scratching claims:
