What's your most common excuse when you call in "sick" for work

[cherish44]

"sick" because you're not really sick you just don't want to go to work...

mine..."Oh my god I was up all night with a migraine..."

Thing is I do get migraines and more often than not the Karma gods kick my ass a few days later by keeping me up with an actual migraine so then I have to call in sick for real :(

[likesmountains 52]

1. This is what most people I work with say.." I have some horrible GI thing."

I don't call in sick (unless I am actually sick) because it means that someone on my unit will have to come in and work on their day off to cover me.

[XemaSab]

43. In different terms:

"I was on the can all night... I'm worried it's a stomach flu, 'cause my cousin had the same thing last week and she threw up at work."

Your boss WILL want you to stay home, if only to avoid TMI. x(

[NightWatcher]

2. be generic, but mention you have a fever and dont want to get anyone else sick

a good fever can get you 2 days off if you really like

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. Except for one time when I had the raging flu and actually had to leave work,

I haven't called in sick for nine years, although I've been tempted. I'm just not good at making stuff up.

[bikebloke]

4. I could never do that.

The last time I was sick from any job was way back in '84. I had worked so hard without taking time out to drink water (this was in the Negev Desert) that I got a kidney infection. It was so humiliating, I've always gone into work. Fucked up work ethic.

[cwydro]

5. I've got this problem with my eyes...

just can't see myself coming to work.B-)

Old joke, but I still like it.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

6. You could always say something like,

"I'm sorry; I can't come to work today. The voices told me I have to stay home and clean my guns."

[cwydro]

12. Lol!

That'd go over well with us airline employees!:rofl:

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

14. Ya think?

;)

[EndersDame]

7. My Employers have a new policy if you call in sick you are suspended

They also have been giving people with doctors notes shit. I can't afford to be suspended so I am going to go into work today with a cold. On the brightside maybe the cold will be given to people who don't tip me

[abq e streeter]

33. Is that legal ? Even in Texas?

have you checked with the state dept of labor re: that policy? ( although I'm guessing that labor laws in Texas are not exactly the most worker-friendly in the country)

[EndersDame]

34. I don't know

I work for a locally owned restaurant. Some people have been abusing the calling in sick. One of the Asst. Manager showed up today on crutches and was expo-ing food in the kitchen. I think if you have a note from the doc's they can't punish you legally but they were still hassling one of my co workers with his note (i think that if he is 5 mins late one day they will fire him). I think though when you have a cold or flu and don't want to spend money at the doctors office the law is a bit nebulous. I could probably call the health department.

[abq e streeter]

35. when I was a food and beverage transport technician ( waiter) about 20 years ago,

we had mandatory "meetings" every other saturday morning before the place opened , whether you were scheduled to work that morning or not. We had to listen to a bunch of BS and find something to clean...We weren't paid for these "meetings" until I called the state labor dept and confirmed that if they were mandatory, we had to be paid. The boss grumbled of course but we started being paid ; a pittance of course since the hourly wage was 2 something an hour with most earnings being tips, but it was the principle and we won. Again ,I don't know about Texas, but if the health dept is no help, depending on if you have the energy or even give a damn enough to pursue it ( maybe its just part time for extra money while going to school or something; I don't know your circumstance) you might try the labor dept too. Sounds illegal as hell to me, but again, often labor laws are written by people like your boss. But yeah, absolutely let the health dept know too. I just hope you won't be jeopardizing your source of income; easy for me to say I'd do this or I did this 20 years ago etc...Do you think they'd know who "busted" em to the health dept?

[EndersDame]

38. No one else caresat work

They would certainly know it was "that lefty from Austin" .I am trying to get another job but even if I wasn't why should I put forth any energy if the rest of my co workers dont care BTW waiters still get paid 2.13 an hour

[abq e streeter]

39. I understand completely---best wishes to you

[EndersDame]

42. Thank you for your warm wishes

Now that thee Baylor kids have moved away for the summer things have slowed down alot and the management has gotten really weird. It is time for me to move on.I thought working for a local place would be better but alas...

[HopeHoops]

8. My head is stuck up my ass

You have to muffle the phone with a wash cloth to make it convincing.

[cwydro]

18. ...

:rofl:

[Iggo]

9. I don't have to fake it. I just tell 'em I'm taking a personal day.

We accrue PTO (Paid Time Off) over time, and they always end up buying mine back from me at the end of the year. So, in theory, they should actually be glad when I take a day here and there. In theory.

[graywarrior]

10. I'm having a bad hair day.

[Orrex]

11. "Boss, you're a petty, vindictive child, if you'll be sorry if I have to see you today."

[NJmaverick]

13. I just don't do that, so I don't have an excuse

[LostinVA]

15. I only call in sick if I'm sick, so I say whatever is wrong with me

[Sigh Sister]

16. Me too. I work on a closed nursing unit

so when someone calls off, someone from the previous shift is forced to stay to cover you. I rarely call off and when I have to due to illness, I feel so guilty.

[LostinVA]

19. Same with me (except I'm not a nurse!)

Our library unit only has three of us, and if one's out, I know someone will be having to stay late or only taking a 15-minute lunch.

[Sigh Sister]

22. It's really frustrating

because a lot of my co-workers have a terrible work ethic and could care less if it impacts someone else when they call off. They're pretty open about the fact they call off because they have a party to go or a hot date etc...

[LostinVA]

23. I managed a big box bookstore for awhile after I was laid off from a job

I had alot of college-aged folks working for me, and a bunch would ALWAYS call in "sick" on Sundays mornings, meaning it would be me alone from 9-11 (when I had payroll and other paperwork to do), and just me and one other person until 1:00, which means one register for the after-church crowd. It used to piss me off.

One Saturday night, I was in a local bar/restaurant, and as I was leaving, I saw this group of employees getting tanked in the bar area. I went up to their table and just stood there. As one, they stopped talking and looked up at me and said "fuck" or "shit." I said,"If everyone isn't at work by 8:30 tomorrow, I want a doctor's note or you're fired."

I was NOT a hard-ass boss, but this gave me much pleasure!

[Sigh Sister]

24. Good for you!

:)

[LostinVA]

25. I was a major partier in college, and I never called in sick for my part-time jobs

[Sigh Sister]

28. Me too. I also never missed class, even if I was out until 4-5am!

[blueamy66]

17. sore throat....

going in for a strep test. ..

[billyoc]

20. I can't imagine having to call someone to tell them I'm not going to work today.

What a horrible thought. I'm a Union Ironworker, if I don't work, I don't get paid.

But I damn sure don't have to call anybody to tell them about it.

[mokawanis]

21. back spasms

they probably don't believe me and I don't care.

[femmocrat]

26. I haven't taken a sick day in about 15 years. (Knock wood)

And that was for out-patient surgery. :(

We don't have to give an excuse. We just have to tell the automatic sub-caller, "I'm taking a sick day", and someone at the central office deducts it from our sick day allowance.

[Wapsie B]

27. 3.2 flu

[Tuesday Afternoon]

29. Migraine for me too. Work is a pain in the neck.

[cherish44]

30. OK now I feel like a lazy shit with poor work ethic

Which I deserve. (I don't call in "sick" often, maybe once a year)...thing is I really don't get sick much. I don't get paid time off or vacation days either so like a lot of you I can't afford it. But fortunately if I'm not there, no one has to cover for my ass.

[Shell Beau]

31. Now a days, I only call in when my baby is sick.

And I would rather be at work than at home with a sick baby. She is a good sick baby, but it hurts my feelings to see her sick.

I am self-employed, so if I don't feel like going to work just because I don't feel like going to work, it is ok. I am kinda my own boss. Of course, I don't get paid for that day.

[DarkTirade]

32. I haven't done it with my current job...

but at my last job it was usually a fairly valid excuse, like, "I pulled a muscle working my ass off for you bastards last night. I'm not making it worse by coming in tonight."

[RushIsRot]

36. Now that I'm retired, I used stomach problems for when I was

actually expected to show up in the trenches and didn't wish to. I DO NOT miss that aspect of my life.

[LostInAnomie]

37. "I'm shitting all over the place!"

[Skittles]

40. I've called in sick once all my working life of 30+ years

and I really was sick - odder still was the date: 09/11/01 - purely coincidental

If I really ever wanted to "just not go to work", I'd call and request a vacation day.

[DFW]

41. No idea--never done it

I am station chief for Europe for my outfit--when I'm sick, I stay in bed, and I accord
everyone who works under me the same rule. If you feel lousy, or are exhausted from overwork,
stay in bed, call me if you need someone to cover for you somewhere, and I'll put it together.

In the time I have been in my position, no one has yet abused it, since they know that I'll never
give them a hard time if they feel lousy, and people who are looking to take advantage of that
policy have no chance of even making it as far as being considered for hiring, as the skills
required mean you have busted ass to be considered in the first place.

[Mad_Dem_X]

44. Migraine or a sore throat.

I answer phones all day, so a sore throat is a good one. :)