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.
Judy Bodenhamer is the managing director of the Client Experience Group and a co-founder of Power Up Professionals. She helps professional services firms with business development, marketing, leadership and team development by coaching and developing professionals to unleash deeper impact, purpose and value in their organizations, both with clients and in the marketplace.
Katie Tolin is president of CPA Growth Guides and a co-founder of Power Up Professionals. She helps firms establish growth strategies; connecting the dots between strategy and actions to boost ROI. As a consultant or fractional chief growth officer, her areas of focus include marketing, business development, product management/innovation and client experience.
Eduardo is the co-founder and COO at BetterUp where he brings a successful operational track record and personal passion for human potential to his role. As COO, he leads work in coaching, business operations, and is responsible for the delivery and impact of BetterUp’s products and programs to its rapidly growing customer base.
Prior to BetterUp, Eduardo served in various strategy, investing, and operational roles at Altamont Capital Partners and Bain & Company. Eduardo is a strong advocate for education, economic access, and equity in the workplace, areas where he actively mentors and advises emerging leaders.
Eduardo holds a B.S. in Business, summa cum laude, from the University of Southern California.
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:
