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.
Melissa Diaz has worked on a wide range of accounting and audit services across the southwest and internationally, with a specialty in the healthcare industry. She is a shareholder, and financial and GAAP accounting badass at High Rock Accounting, where she assists clients with GAAP compliance, financial modeling, financial reporting, and general financial accounting inquiries. She is currently the loving mother to two step-children and three dogs. If you’re in search of a good conversation topic, she could go on for hours about dogs in general (but particularly hers). Also sloths. Her passion for each is only rivaled by her love of travel.
The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board is giving firms a pause until May 11, given the difficulties businesses are facing from COVID-19.
The funds will be in addition to the $160 million from the Emergency Reserve Fund that the board released March 12.
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:
