5 Bad Excuses for Calling in Sick

At some point in time it happens to the best of us. We become disengaged with our jobs, boss or just life in general. Getting out of bed and making it to work feels like a job unto itself, and you wonder, "Why bother?"

Here are five bad excuses for giving in to the call-in-sick urge:

1. Your job is boring, and you no longer feel challenged.

Would you still feel like staying home if you were doing something to change the direction of your life? Maybe you chose not to return to school to finish your degree, so you have limited options. It is never too late to return to school. You can go part-time, full-time and even just weekends. There is also an entire world of online courses that knows no borders.

2. You work for a terrible manager.

You are not alone. According to a recent Gallup Management Journal (GMJ) survey of U.S. employees, nearly one-quarter of U.S. employees (24%) would fire their bosses if given the chance. And as many as 51% of actively disengaged workers would get rid if their leader if they could. The odds are pretty high that if you left your company because of your boss, you would encounter a similar situation at your next place of employment. Do your job well, and it will not be long before you are promoted out from under this person.

3. You are unable to meet tomorrow's project deadline.

Most likely you knew days ago this would happen. It may feel better to hide under the covers, but others are counting on you to complete your part of the project. Show up at your desk and ask your boss or other team members for assistance. Try and do a better job of planning, so you can avoid this from happening again.

4. You would rather be golfing.

Who wouldn't? Unless you are working for Callaway Golf Company, you are not being paid to be on the links. If you set your alarm for an early wake-up and get your work done, you will have plenty of time to play the back nine holes before the sun sets on the horizon.

5. You arrived home an hour before the start of the work day.

Poor "time management" on your part should not result in other people picking up your slack. Put on a pot of coffee, eat something healthy, and take a shower. It is your responsibility to show up for work.

If you are increasingly feeling the need to call in sick, then it may be time for a checkup. Schedule time off so you can reflect on the parts of your life that are no longer working. Think about what you can do today to cure whatever is ailing you.

15 Excuses for Calling in Sick

It's 6 a.m. and you are about to throw the alarm clock out the window. It's too cold out, you're tired, you had one too many in the pub last night, you've really got to clean your flat, and, most importantly, you haven't had much time to watch Richard and Judy recently.

"Just throw a sickie," you tell yourself. "They can get by for one day without me."

So, in your best sick voice, you leave a near-death sounding message for your boss and throw in a cough just to make it believable. Rory Bremner eat your heart out!

The art of deception
CareerBuilder.com recently took a look at employees who call in sick with bogus excuses. 43 percent of workers said they called in sick when they felt well at least once during the last year, up from 35 percent in the 2004 survey.

The most popular reason for missing work: good, old-fashioned rest. Almost 23 percent of workers said they just wanted to relax and catch up on sleep. 17 percent said they just didn't feel like going in, 16 percent attributed it to a doctor's appointment, and 9 percent said they had to catch up on housework and look after personal matters.

Three-day weekend or mid-week break?
38 percent of workers said they viewed sick days as being equivalent to holiday days. The most popular day for calling in sick when feeling well was Wednesday, with 27 percent of workers getting over the mid-week blues by fabricating an excuse. While extended weekend absences were also popular, with 26 percent of workers calling in sick on Monday and 14 percent on Friday, those partaking may have put themselves at more risk of scrutiny.

Your boss is no fool.
63 percent of recruiting managers said they are more suspicious of employees calling in sick on a Monday or Friday. The survey also revealed that some recruiting managers were less tolerant of workers pulling a sickie, with almost a quarter stating they fired an employee for missing work without a legitimate reason. While the definition of a sick day has evolved, with more employers including mental health and special circumstances in the description, workers should be mindful of company policies and their responsibilities as an employee.

"I was abducted by aliens..."
When asked to share the most unusual excuses workers gave for missing work, recruiting managers shared some of their favourite examples:

"I'm too drunk to drive to work."

"I accidentally flushed my keys down the toilet."

"I had to help deliver a baby on my way to work." (Employee was not in the medical profession.)

"I accidentally drove through the automatic garage door before it opened."

"My boyfriend's snake escaped from its cage and I'm afraid to leave the bedroom until he gets home."

"I'm too fat to get into my work outfit."

"God didn't wake me." (Employee didn't believe in alarm clocks and thought a higher power would wake her when she was ready.)

"I cut my fingernails too short, they're bleeding and I have to go to the doctor."

"The ghosts in my house kept me up all night."

"I forgot I was getting married today."

"My cow bit me."

"My son accidentally fell asleep next to wet cement in our garden. His foot fell in and we can't get it out."

"I was walking down the street watching road works being done, fell in the hole and hurt myself."

"I was walking my dog and slipped on a toad in my driveway and hurt my back."

"My house lock jammed, and I'm locked in."