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.
Michele Donohue is a principal with Baker Tilly's tax practice. She brings over 20 years of experience in corporate tax, technology and process. She is responsible for transforming Baker Tilly's tax practice and embedding innovation at its core. She serves on the firm's tax leadership team, which drives strategy and operations for the tax practice.
Alaina Bird, an associate in Glaser Weil's litigation practice group, focuses her practice on commercial litigation, with an emphasis on securities litigation and class actions.
Elizabeth Sperling, a financial services litigation partner and Glaser Weil's co-office managing partner in San Diego, represents financial institutions in class actions and defends against FCRA lawsuits, business torts, unfair business practices and related consumer protection actions.
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:
