Tantrums and tiaras over outlandish expenses

It is a problem many HR professionals will be familiar with. Your company holds a glitzy awards ceremony and a meal at a swanky hotel, including free booze, a three-course meal, free transport from the office to the hotel and back and cash prizes.

But, despite all these giveaways, staff still insist on claiming back expenses for everything related to the evening, from the sublime (a few cosmetics) to the ridiculous (the hire of a tiara).

As one recent correspondent to Personnel Today noted: “Unrealistic employee expectations still astound me, as does the fact that such basic rules have to be spelled out to employees.”

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What are your experiences? What are the most ridiculous expense claims you have seen? What is the most stupendous expense claim you’ve filed?

Send details of your experiences of extravagance to [email protected]. The best responses will win a set of leading management books (you can then pretend you bought them and claim them all back on expenses).