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.
The findings reveal financial institutions are falling particularly short in addressing the emotional components of the customer experience, which include a sense of security and the freedom for customers to manage their finances as they see fit.
Jordan Zaslav is the chief operating officer at Axios HQ.
With over 20 years of leadership in the insurance industry, including roles at Lloyd's of London, AIG, and Zurich, Jane Veeder is a seasoned expert in underwriting, marketing, and client relationship management. As Director of insurance Solutions at CYGNVS, she partners closely with clients to tailor solutions that meet their policyholders' unique needs.
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:
