Business travel and expense reports go hand in hand, but sometimes employees can get a little carried away with what they are expensing! A new survey from Robert Half shows just how ridiculous these reports can get!
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Chief financial officers (CFOs) were asked, “Have you seen inappropriate expense report requests increase or decrease in the past 3 years?” While 65 percent report no change, around 23 percent of CFOs report that there has been an increase in outlandish expenses over the last 3 years. Just what are employees expensing?
CFOs in the United States are reporting that they’ve received requests for the following:
- New car
- Rental homes
- Vacations
- Flat-screen TV
- Toilet paper
- Doggie day spa
- Loans
- Rent
- 10-cent parking-meter charge
- Medications
- Taxidermy
- Dance classes
While some of these may not seem so ridiculous (I mean, what office doesn’t need toilet paper?), other expenses included:
- A side of beef—somebody bought half of a cow;
- A welder; and
- Somebody else’s salary.
Canadian CFOs are also reporting similar items, such as vacations and toilet paper; however, there are some ridiculous things that U.S. CFOs did not report! These include:
- Cosmetic surgery
- Speeding tickets
- A pair of socks
- Video game console
- Yoga and Pilates classes
- Cigars
- Hair supplies
- A trailer rental for a family reunion
- A “Sweet 16” birthday venue
- A camping trip
- Charges from a day at the spa
- Flowers that an employee purchased for his wife
What crazy items have your employees tried to expense? Share it in our comments section below, or e-mail us, and it could be featured in the next HRSBT!
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