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.
Jamie Yesnowitz is a principal and SALT National Tax Office leader at Grant Thornton LLP.
Jill C. McNally, JD, LL.M., is an editor with Checkpoint within Thomson Reuters Tax & Accounting. Before joining Thomson Reuters, Jill was a Deputy Attorney General for the State of New Jersey representing the New Jersey Division of Taxation in all phases of litigation and provided counsel to state agencies involving tax matters. Jill received her B.A. and M.A. from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, summa cum laude, her J.D. from New York Law School, cum laude, and an Executive LL.M. from Georgetown University. Jill is admitted to the State Bars of New York and New Jersey.
Sarah Horn, M.Acc., J.D., is an editor with Checkpoint Catalyst within Thomson Reuters Tax & Accounting. Before joining Thomson Reuters, Sarah was a tax attorney at ExxonMobil, where her work included a variety of state and federal tax matters. Sarah received her B.A. and B.S. from Southern Methodist University, summa cum laude, her Master of Accounting from The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business, and her J.D. from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, cum laude. Sarah is admitted to the State Bar of Texas.
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:
