diff --git a/addons/hr/data/hr_data.xml b/addons/hr/data/hr_data.xml
index bb2cf4b5a08..2b031146e01 100644
--- a/addons/hr/data/hr_data.xml
+++ b/addons/hr/data/hr_data.xml
@@ -29,5 +29,16 @@ Leave Management (keep track of employee leaves), Expense Management (manage emp
             <field name="image" eval="obj(ref('base.partner_root')).image" model="res.partner"/>
         </record>
 
+        <record id="mail_template_data_unknown_employee_email_address" model="mail.template">
+            <field name="name">HR: unknown employee bounce</field>
+            <field name="subject">Your document has not been created</field>
+            <field name="email_from">${user.email}</field>
+            <field name="email_to">${ctx['email_to']|safe}</field>
+            <field name="lang">${user.lang}</field>
+            <field name="model_id" ref="base.model_ir_module_module"/>
+            <field name="auto_delete" eval="True"/>
+            <field name="body_html" ><![CDATA[Your document has not been created because your email address is not recognized. Please send emails with the email address recorded on your employee information, or contact your HR manager.]]></field>
+        </record>
+
     </data>
 </odoo>
diff --git a/addons/hr/models/__init__.py b/addons/hr/models/__init__.py
index c870236ee6c..ef90454a6d7 100644
--- a/addons/hr/models/__init__.py
+++ b/addons/hr/models/__init__.py
@@ -2,5 +2,7 @@
 # Part of Odoo. See LICENSE file for full copyright and licensing details.
 
 import hr
+import mail_alias
+import mail_thread
 import res_partner
 import res_users
diff --git a/addons/hr/models/mail_alias.py b/addons/hr/models/mail_alias.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..710b7efaff7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/addons/hr/models/mail_alias.py
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+# Part of Odoo. See LICENSE file for full copyright and licensing details.
+
+from odoo import fields, models
+
+
+class Alias(models.Model):
+    _inherit = 'mail.alias'
+
+    alias_contact = fields.Selection(selection_add=[('employees', 'Authenticated Employees')])
diff --git a/addons/hr/models/mail_thread.py b/addons/hr/models/mail_thread.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d27cbbd2afc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/addons/hr/models/mail_thread.py
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+# Part of Odoo. See LICENSE file for full copyright and licensing details.
+
+import logging
+
+from odoo import api, models
+from odoo.addons.mail.models.mail_thread import decode_header
+from odoo.tools import email_split
+
+_logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+class MailThread(models.AbstractModel):
+    _inherit = "mail.thread"
+
+    @api.model
+    def message_route_verify(self, message, message_dict, route, update_author=True, assert_model=True, create_fallback=True, allow_private=False):
+        res = super(MailThread, self).message_route_verify(message, message_dict, route, update_author, assert_model, create_fallback, allow_private)
+
+        if res:
+            alias = route[4]
+            email_from = decode_header(message, 'From')
+            message_id = message.get('Message-Id')
+
+            # Identically equal to the definition in mail module because sub methods are local
+            # variables and cannot be called with super
+            def _create_bounce_email(body_html):
+                bounce_to = decode_header(message, 'Return-Path') or email_from
+                bounce_mail_values = {
+                    'body_html': body_html,
+                    'subject': 'Re: %s' % message.get('subject'),
+                    'email_to': bounce_to,
+                    'auto_delete': True,
+                }
+                bounce_from = self.env['ir.mail_server']._get_default_bounce_address()
+                if bounce_from:
+                    bounce_mail_values['email_from'] = 'MAILER-DAEMON <%s>' % bounce_from
+                self.env['mail.mail'].create(bounce_mail_values).send()
+
+            def _warn(message):
+                _logger.info('Routing mail with Message-Id %s: route %s: %s',
+                             message_id, route, message)
+
+            # Alias: check alias_contact settings for employees
+
+            if alias and alias.alias_contact == 'employees':
+                email_address = email_split(email_from)[0]
+                employee = self.env['hr.employee'].search([('work_email', 'ilike', email_address)], limit=1)
+                if not employee:
+                    employee = self.env['hr.employee'].search([('user_id.email', 'ilike', email_address)], limit=1)
+                if not employee:
+                    mail_template = self.env.ref('hr.mail_template_data_unknown_employee_email_address')
+                    _warn('alias %s does not accept unknown employees, skipping' % alias.alias_name)
+                    _create_bounce_email(mail_template.body_html)
+                    return False
+        return res
diff --git a/addons/hr_expense/data/hr_expense_data.xml b/addons/hr_expense/data/hr_expense_data.xml
index 3ca4fed609c..425fb3a6e79 100644
--- a/addons/hr_expense/data/hr_expense_data.xml
+++ b/addons/hr_expense/data/hr_expense_data.xml
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
             <field name="alias_name">expense</field>
             <field name="alias_model_id" ref="model_hr_expense"/>
             <field name="alias_user_id" ref="base.user_root"/>
+            <field name="alias_contact">employees</field>
         </record>
 
 
@@ -65,15 +66,5 @@
             <field name="sequence" eval="10"/>
         </record>
 
-        <record id="mail_template_data_expense_unknown_email_address" model="mail.template">
-            <field name="name">HrExpense: unknown employee bounce</field>
-            <field name="subject">Your expense has not been created</field>
-            <field name="email_from">help@odoo.com</field>
-            <field name="email_to">${ctx['email_to']|safe}</field>
-            <field name="lang">${user.lang}</field>
-            <field name="model_id" ref="base.model_ir_module_module"/>
-            <field name="auto_delete" eval="True"/>
-            <field name="body_html" ><![CDATA[Your expense has not been created because your email address is not set on an employee or on a employee's user. Configure your employee's information correctly and try again.]]></field>
-        </record>
     </data>
 </odoo>
diff --git a/addons/hr_expense/models/hr_expense.py b/addons/hr_expense/models/hr_expense.py
index 5ce0b3edfe9..e38a2537873 100644
--- a/addons/hr_expense/models/hr_expense.py
+++ b/addons/hr_expense/models/hr_expense.py
@@ -289,21 +289,14 @@ class HrExpense(models.Model):
     def message_new(self, msg_dict, custom_values=None):
         if custom_values is None:
             custom_values = {}
-        # Retrieve the email address from the email field. The string is constructed like
-        # 'foo <bar>'. We will extract 'bar' from this
+
         email_address = email_split(msg_dict.get('email_from', False))[0]
 
-        # Look after an employee who has this email address or an employee for whom the related
-        # user has this email address. In the case not employee is found, we send back an email
-        # to explain that the expense will not be created.
-        employee = self.env['hr.employee'].search([('work_email', 'ilike', email_address)], limit=1)
-        if not employee:
-            employee = self.env['hr.employee'].search([('user_id.email', 'ilike', email_address)], limit=1)
-        if not employee:
-            # Send back an email to explain why the expense has not been created
-            mail_template = self.env.ref('hr_expense.mail_template_data_expense_unknown_email_address')
-            mail_template.with_context(email_to=email_address).send_mail(self.env.ref('base.module_hr_expense').id)
-            return False
+        employee = self.env['hr.employee'].search([
+            '|',
+            ('work_email', 'ilike', email_address),
+            ('user_id.email', 'ilike', email_address)
+        ], limit=1)
 
         expense_description = msg_dict.get('subject', '')