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.
CEO of Financial Planning Association
Dennis J. Moore is CEO of the Financial Planning Association, the leading membership organization and trade association for certified financial planners and those who support the financial planning process.
A CFP himself, Moore has served as an elected president in a volunteer capacity for various organizations, including the Texas Tech University Personal Financial Planning Alumni Advisory Board, the FPA of West Texas, the FPA of Dallas/Fort Worth and the FPA Board of Directors.
Moore holds a bachelor's degree in personal financial planning and an MBA from Texas Tech University, where he is pursuing his PhD in personal financial planning.
Matt Baki is SVP of Strategic Accounts at Tria Health.
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:
