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.
William Sweetnam is the Legislative And Technical Director at ECFC, a non-profit organization dedicated to maintaining and expanding employee benefit programs on a tax-advantaged basis.
Jasmine Hathaway is a co-founder of PALS (Professionals of After Loss Services), which brings together professionals who are passionate about filling the gap in support for families struggling to manage the administrative and logistical tasks of settling an estate while grieving the death of a loved one.
PALS provides online education to teach others how to become after loss professionals, a membership, and a business affiliate program for this burgeoning community.
David Wilson is group head of risk intelligence at the London Stock Exchange Group.
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:
