One of the pleasures of being at the top or near the top of the agency food chain is that you get to revel and otherwise cavort in administrative work. So my inbox gets filled with expense reports notifications.
This evening I received this one:
"The above expense report has an expense of $5.46 for toothpaste – our policy does not reimburse for personal toiletry items. Either I can reject this so you can remove OR I can remove when I process for payment. Please advise.
Thanks!
Accounts Payable Specialist"
It doesn't harpoon often, but I am speechless.
Once worked with a guy who was an expense account genius. On a trip to Hong Kong he was coerced by a client into buying an expensive fedora.
ReplyDeleteWhen he submitted his expense report, including the hat, it was bounced back to him by the CFO -- no personal items. He explained that he didn't want the hat but was made to buy it by the client. Still no dice.
He went back to his office and re-did his expense account.
An hour later he walked down to the CFO's office with the new expense report for the exact same amount of money, but without the hat. He threw the paper on the CFO's desk and said, "Now find the fucking fedora."
Bob, would love to meet your EAG friend.
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, if the toothbrush purchaser didn't buy such an item on a business trip (concerned that it may be an issue), he might have in fact, lost the business if he didn't brush his teeth. What would the expense approver have to say to that?
I've been able to expense lavish dinners, new golf clubs (japanese client) and other embelishments, but they wont cover bail.
ReplyDeleteLife isn't always fair.