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.
Dr. Kollins, chief medical officer at Akili, is a licensed clinical psychologist in the state of North Carolina and spent more than 20 years on the faculty in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Duke University School of Medicine, where he maintains an adjunct faculty appointment.
Gino Stella, a Consultant at Capco in Tampa, FL, brings valuable experience leading annuity and life insurance carriers, property and casualty insurance carriers, and investment banks. In his recent position at a top annuity insurer, he facilitated collaborative efforts to streamline training and onboarding processes. Gino excels in understanding client needs, delivering ongoing support, and optimizing onboarding procedures. He has efficiently collaborated with both internal and external clients to deliver products, collect data, prepare reports, and create financial models.
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:
