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.
Derek is the head of advisor experience at Aptus Capital Advisors, an SEC-registered investment advisor specializing in risk-mitigated investing. He organizes the firm’s efforts to help advisors build a confident client base, designing customizable portfolios with client-friendly messaging to match.
Kelli Haugh is managing director at Foreside, a provider of governance, risk management, and compliance service and technology offerings to clients in the global asset and wealth management industry. She oversees Foreside’s investment advisor compliance services team and provides strategic and regulatory guidance to investment advisors under the investment advisers Act of 1940 and state securities laws. Prior to joining Foreside, she was a Partner with Dew, Foxman & Haugh PLLC, concentrating on corporate and securities law.
Martin Cheek is Vice President of SmartSearch, a provider of an Anti-Money Laundering verification service based in Lehi, Utah.
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:
