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.
Rebecca Liebman is co-founder & CEO of LearnLux, the leading workplace financial well-being provider.
Bryan Brizzi is a seasoned technology executive and transformation leader with over two decades of experience driving digital innovation in the insurance industry. As Chief Digital Officer at Crum & Forster, he leads the modernization of the Surplus & Specialty IT organization, delivering scalable, technology-driven solutions that enhance underwriting efficiency, reduce technical debt, and optimize business processes.
Rick Hirsh is a seasoned executive with 30+ years of experience leading management, sales, finance, and operations to drive growth in technology and software-enabled B2B services. He currently leads as CEO of Beneration, an insurtech platform built to cut waste and simplify the most error-prone parts of benefits billing for employers. Rick has driven organic growth, completed over a dozen acquisitions, and led four successful investor exits. Previously honored as Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Rick and his companies have been recognized on the Inc. 500, Deloitte's Fast 50, and CRN Solution Provider 500.
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:
