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 $7,600 expense claim for a facelift was submitted under the category of “repairs and maintenance” but was rejected, despite the pressing need to look one’s best during a Zoom meeting.
Clint Walters is chairman and CEO of First Security Bank of Beaumont, Texas, and Beaver, Oklahoma. Before joining First Security, he was a senior executive with Mobiloil Credit Union, which has since rebranded as Rave Financial.
Greg D. Adams is senior vice president and chief financial officer at American Management Association International. He is the author of Green Shade$: Accountants Aren't Supposed to Die This Way, available on Amazon.
Morten Unneberg is CEO of Insurope SC/CV, Insurope Services, Inc., and Insurope Business Services Co., Ltd. Morten has more than 30 years of experience with employee benefits and has been involved in international operations for the last 25 years. Prior to joining Insurope in 2012, he was a Senior Executive with Storebrand in Norway, one of the leading insurance companies in the Nordics. He has also held various sales and sales management positions in Norway and in the USA.
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:
