The craziest expenses of 2021

Employers have been going to extreme lengths to retain employees during the so-called Great Resignation, even putting up with some outrageous expenses claimed by employees, many of whom were forced to work from home for much of the past 18 months.

Emburse, a developer of spend management software, has identified the most unusual and outlandish expenses that were approved in 2021 after sending a survey to its more than 100,000 users. Some of the more outlandish expenses include $1,000 for tattoo removal for an incoming employee, $1,250 for pet-sitting care for an employee’s horse with separation anxiety, $25,000 for a car after a new hire visited a dealership and charged it to his corporate card, and a relatively modest $85 to repair lawn damage caused by a visiting coworker attending a private dinner party.

For the full report and infographic, visit https://www.emburse.com/learn/.

Speedo: $13.25

Gag gift for a departing coworker to ensure they went out in style.
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Long-distance call: $0.14

Short call to check in on a client ... a very short one.
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White carpets: $11,297

Purchased to dress up a tradeshow booth — and thrown out the same day when they got too dirty.
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Pet sitting: $1,250

Due to its (alleged) separation anxiety, a general manager hired care of his horse through PetSitter.com while he was away on business.
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Facelift: $10,000

Categorized as “repair and maintenance” by the company’s owner.
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Nail: $0.53

An office construction project was missing a nail to be completed ... just one.
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Tattoo removal: $1,000

De-inked an incoming employee’s skin art (Emburse didn’t dare ask where or what) before they started.
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A wheel deal: $25,000

With the promise of a company car, a new hire visited a dealership and charged a new ride to his corporate card.
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Carpet cleaner: $100

A tray of baked beans headed for a work function spilled in an employee’s car.
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Grass seed: $85

Repairing lawn damage caused by a visiting coworker attending a private dinner party.
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1960s railroad carriage: $45,000

Purchased to showcase at an event with the intent to sell afterward.
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Gas: 31 cents

In error, an employee topped off their gas tank with a personal card, then submitted the expense report through the mail.
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Spa treatments: $5,000

During his onboarding for a new position, a man expensed $5,000 in spa treatments for his spouse because she needed the extra support and rest.
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Pest control: $500

After seeing a cockroach climb out of her purse at home, an employee expensed $500 for pest control services to spray her house.
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Home theater components: $75,000

Over two years and piece by piece, an employee expensed $75,000 of home theater system components; he was fired but not asked to repay.
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Cadavers: $15,000

In preparation for an upcoming study, a bioresearch facility employee expensed $15,000 to purchase human cadavers.
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