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.
Christy has been passionate about immigration all her life. This passion inspired her to dedicate all of her professional and volunteer efforts to this field. She has been helping foreign nationals since 1997 and practicing business immigration law with prominent law firms since 2001. Over the course of her professional career, Christy gained extensive experience partnering with corporate clients of all sizes, from startup companies to Fortune 500 companies. She is trained and certified by Worldwide ERC as a Global Mobility Specialist, which serves as the base of her keen understanding of a wide range of global mobility issues facing clients. Christy is also recognized by Best Lawyers for her work in immigration law. This holistic approach to her practice addresses immigration’s multifaceted nature, from relocation resources to cross-cultural consideration.
Jessica Chang is CEO and Co-Founder of Upwards (formerly WeeCare), a nationwide child care network and child care benefits platform for U.S. employers.
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:
