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.
Sanjay Chojar is Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer at the Amalgamated Family of Companies, overseeing all strategic technology decisions, including systems architecture, cybersecurity, and infrastructure. He brings more than 30 years of experience as a global technology leader across major financial services institutions, driving digital transformation and the application of advanced technologies such as AI, machine learning, and cloud services.
Dustin Carlson is president of SRA 831(b) Admin, where he leads internal operations and plays a key role in advancing advocacy efforts within the micro-captive industry.
Digital Insurance is making AI its defining focus, arming carriers, brokers, and executives with the data and intelligence to compete in an AI-driven industry
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:
