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.
Adam Tahir, CPA, is a strategist at Bizora, an AI-powered tax research and compliance platform built specifically for CPAs and tax professionals.
Katerina Brahy is vice president of product and engagement at Maps Credit Union, a member-owned financial cooperative based in Oregon. She is currently researching how "relational risk" shapes loyalty, decision-making and long-term relevance in financial systems.
Kevin C. Gillen holds positions as both a senior research fellow with the Lindy Institute for Urban Innovation and an adjunct professor of finance at Drexel University. His research is concentrated on applied work in the analysis of real estate developments and operation of real estate markets, including their fiscal, economic and financial implications. He holds a doctorate in economics.
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:
