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.
John B. Williams III is a partner in the Washington office of Buckley LLP. He provides enforcement and litigation counsel to financial services companies and individuals navigating internal investigations, government investigations, and complex civil litigation, with a particular emphasis on consumer finance matters and complex electronic discovery. He is focused on the compliance issues surrounding government-insured mortgages and other credit products.
Michael A. Rome is a partner in the Los Angeles office of Buckley LLP. He represents corporate and individual clients in a variety of litigation and government enforcement matters. His work includes complex commercial disputes related to mortgage-backed securities, indemnity disputes, and consumer class actions alleging unfair and deceptive trade practices.
Amanda R. Lawrence is a partner in the Washington office of Buckley LLP. She specializes in cybersecurity, privacy, information security and vendor risks. She also counsels clients on compliance with privacy and data-security laws and standards, as well as represents financial services clients in mortgage loan repurchase and indemnification claims related to residential mortgage-backed securities and consumer cases.
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:
