DiscoverOK at WorkHow to Exercise Effective Expense Control
How to Exercise Effective Expense Control

How to Exercise Effective Expense Control

Update: 2026-09-01
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Description

In this episode of OK at Work, attorneys Sarah Sawyer and Russell Berger of Offit Kurman discuss why employers need clear expense reimbursement policies and procedures for employee purchases and travel paid with company cards or personal funds. The major points they make is employers must communicate guidelines on what qualifies as reimbursable, reduce “gray areas” to avoid confusion and disputes, and build safeguards such as requiring management approval over a certain dollar amount. There are common challenges in administering these policies day to day, including inconsistent approvals that can create precedents and confusion, and recommend involving multiple departments—such as finance, marketing, and department heads—when creating the policy to address practical questions and reduce risk from employees making decisions in the field.


  • (00:00 ) - Welcome and Topic

  • (00:39 ) - Why Policies Matter

  • (01:02 ) - Define Reimbursable Rules

  • (01:46 ) - Approval Threshold Safeguards

  • (02:16 ) - Administering and Precedent

  • (03:41 ) - Cross Department Input

  • (04:35 ) - Wrap Up and Goodbye

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How to Exercise Effective Expense Control

How to Exercise Effective Expense Control

Russell Berger & Sarah Sawyer, Offit Kurman