IANAL (or accountant) but I think you’re supposed to claim that rebate as income. If you do, then it’s a wash, isn’t it?
If.
And even if he did it wouldn’t be a wash - taxes would only take a percentage of the income.
Im confused by the OP what do you mean when you say “partners”?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
First I thought you were cheating your employer. Now I see you’re defrauding the IRS.
No wonder we can’t afford the Obamacare subsidies! 
The OP probably works for a law firm or similar. In bigger firms there’s several layers of partners.
It sounds to me like the upset ones bitching at the OP are lower echelon partners who in turn are catching heat from upper echelon partners about their crappy business practices.