Can you top these crazy reimbursement claims?

June 12, 2009 by Jennifer Azara

Posted in: Controller, Lighter-side, Management issues, Special Report

moving-cash

You and your Accounts Payable folks have probably seen some questionable things staffers tried to slip through on reimbursement. Bet they were never as bad as many of these!

A major expense reports scandal is rocking the British government as hundreds of outrageous expense reports have been uncovered.

Take a gander at some of the things British lawmakers have submitted — and were reimbursed for! — over the past few years:

$4.80 stainless steel dog bowl

$8 dog food

$9.58 dust bags for the vacuum cleaner

$30.36 tooth flosser

$32 cork screw

$48 black glitter toilet seat

$56 toilet roll holder

$63 piano tuning

$190 trouser press

$278 dog enclosure

$278 “low radiation” telephone

$320 light bulbs

$450 to fix two broken toilet seats

$719 wide-screen TV

$900 for hanging plant baskets

$956 to fix a ride-on lawn mower

$1,438 pink laptop (when questioned on the necessity of a pink computer, was told “color was irrelevant”)

$1,576 heating oil

$1,598 radiator covers

$1,917 leather rocking chair

$1,918 mirrors

$2,078 for dry cleaning, including bathmats

$2,237 chaffeurs, and

$3,380 to have a moat cleared.

Seen some outrageous expenses yourself? Share them here.

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Tags: Accounts Payable, British government, Dog bowl, Expense reports, Moat, Pink laptop

14 Responses to “Can you top these crazy reimbursement claims?”

Katherine Says:
June 15th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
Yes, I’ve been asked to reimburse for Golf Clubs and all Golf Accessories including Green Fees and cart rentals, Doggie Biscuits, Laundry Detergent, etc.
Paul Says:
June 15th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
I had to reimburse one of our partners for a $10,000 antique rug for his office ( 1982 Dollars). Then he submitted the reimbursement a month later, because he forgot that he got paid for it already. He may have forgotten, but I didn’t.
Mary Ann Says:
June 15th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
I have had a fur coat and sunglasses.
Pat Says:
June 15th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
Well, I thought I had until I read these!
Lori Says:
June 15th, 2009 at 5:02 pm
Trailer hitch on company vehichle to trailer horses to events
Connie Valenti Says:
June 15th, 2009 at 5:17 pm
I once worked where a salesman earned a trip for his family who later turned in the cost of his child’s diapers. My boss wanted to know if that meant the child didn’t have bodily functions while at home and it was not asked that politely.
Mary Says:
June 16th, 2009 at 8:00 am
One of our company’s representatives asked to be reimbursed for new underwear because he had been on the road for a while and ran out of clean briefs.
Michele Says:
June 17th, 2009 at 6:58 am
Several times I’ve had to reimburse new upper manager people for cost of redecorating their new homes as “moving fees”. I dispute it every time, but never win.
Kevin Says:
June 17th, 2009 at 7:22 am
How about $25 for a pedicure for a “foot model”?

oh yes, how about an oldie, but a goodie. In mid 90’s boss came in from a business trip to Germany and tried to submit a 2,000 Deutsche Mark bill for entertainment for him and two others at a club in the Red Light District of Hamburg. You guessed it – DENIED.

Some of these make the snacks and cigarettes turned in and coded as gas receipts seem trivial.
Tim Says:
June 17th, 2009 at 11:57 am
I’ve been reimbursed for clothing before, but it was suppose to be an overnight trip and they ended up having me stay for 4 days.
Kay Says:
June 17th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
I once had custom made suit expense in overseas. I notified my boss & that employee got laid off.
Thank God!
Keith Says:
June 26th, 2009 at 2:09 pm
This one will be tough to beat: I received a reimbursement claim for an employee’s vasectomy. The even funnier thing is that the claim was approved. Apparently the reimbursement rate for the procedure was listed at one percentage in the company’s HR paperwork, but was reimbursed at a different rate by the insurance company. The employee was directed to submit the difference on an expense report….
Joe Says:
September 12th, 2009 at 5:14 pm
Mileage and tolls for weekly trips by admin assistant to NY City. Suspect it was to pay her extra expenses due to getting pregnant by boss, but no hard proof. Funny thing is, she named her son the same name as the boss.
Dee Says:
October 12th, 2009 at 9:38 am
I had a $1000 tab at a strip club turned in and approved.