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.
Jeffrey S. Luechtefeld is a shareholder in the Tax Controversy and Litigation Section of Chamberlain, Hrdlicka, White, Williams, and Aughtry in Atlanta, Georgia. Luechtefeld's practice focuses on resolving tax disputes with the Internal Revenue Service, administratively or through litigation. He previously was a special trial attorney for the IRS Office of Chief Counsel as well as a regional leader of the tax controversy practice for a big four accounting firm. Luechtefeld can be reached at 404.658.5462 or jeff.luechtefeld@chamberlainlaw.com.
As Vice President, Decision Science and AI at RGA, Petr Vaclav leads data analytics, machine learning (ML), and artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives for business units, clients, ventures, and acquisitions across RGA's Europe, Middle East, and Africa region.
An expert in data science, he specializes in digital distribution, bancassurance, predictive underwriting, and other topics and serves as a bridge between the reinsurer's Global Data and Analytics team, its internal and external clients, and partners.
Ryan Frazier is co-founder and CEO of Arrived Homes.
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:
