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 more than eight in 10 respondents plan to deploy generative AI in support of their payments businesses in the next two years, using it — among other things — to address the fraud and customer experience hurdles facing the industry.
Steve Presser, President of BeniComp, is a leader in health technology and employer health insurance, with a background in Art and Economics from DePauw University and a Masters in 3D Animation from the Savannah School of Art and Design.
Kristin Hull is the founder and chief investment officer of Nia Impact Capital, a women-led impact asset management firm.
She is a conscious investor empowering individuals, families and organizations to invest in alignment with their values for the world they want to see. She serves on the leadership committee of How Women Lead, and she is on the board of directors for the Mosaic Project and American Rivers.
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:
