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.
Simon Leung PharmD, RPh is VP, head of pharmacy at Conner Strong & Buckelew, one of America's largest and most respected insurance brokerage, employee benefits and risk management consulting firms. He oversees all facets of the firm's pharmacy business, driving cutting-edge pharmacy solutions to optimize pharmacy benefit strategy for employers and plan sponsors. Additionally, he actively works with PBMs, coalitions and other industry partners.
Carl E. Sera is a chartered market technician (CMT) and the managing principal of Sera Capital Management, a fee-only registered investment advisor based in Annapolis, Maryland, specializing in tax-efficient real estate exit planning, 1031 exchanges, Delaware statutory trusts and 721 UPREIT structures. He has more than 19 years of experience in financial services.
J. Henning Buchholz is a strategic initiatives, transformation and M&A leader who supports global organizations in unlocking value through strategic transactions and enterprise change. As a principal with Deloitte Consulting's M&A practice and co-leader of the U.S. divestitures & separations group, he advises global life sciences, technology, and other organizations on reshaping portfolios, driving growth and unlocking operational value through complex transactions and enterprise transformations.
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:
