I was late for work because..

anncoates · 14-04-2015 12:49pm

rocky911 wrote: »

taaaaaaaaxi

Are you implying that my puns are hackneyed?

Going Strong · 14-04-2015 1:10pm

rocky911 wrote: »

One of the lads out on the piss the night before rang in sick at 4 in the morning with a dose of the scutters...camein at 7.30 forgot he rang insaying that he was going to be late because he forgot to set his alarm...

I worked with a girl who had the utterly genius notion to phone in sick after overdoing it at a girl's night on the town. However, she jumped the gun somewhat and phoned up work at 3 am while still blind drunk. The entire floor was brought into the manager's office to listen a voicemail of her slurred excuse as she meandered all over the place while trying to decide whether it was flu or an upset stomach that had her at home sick.

When she turned up the next day, it was played once more for her embarrassment.

kfallon · 14-04-2015 1:11pm

Nobody say they did a shart on the bus/train/LUAS?

Maguined · 14-04-2015 1:12pm

One guy in our office had phoned his boss at 9am to tell her he had eaten something dodgy and wouldn't be in to work as he was sick. While the excuse was not very entertaining the team leaders response that she understood because he had phoned her 5 hours earlier waking her up in bed with the same call was very entertaining for the rest of us especially considering he got so drunk because it was an office party the night before with a free bar that got him into the state where he can't remember.

edit - Damn you Going Strong be beating me with your similar story!

rocky911 · 14-04-2015 1:14pm

One I personally used was that my bike got a puncture when I was cycling in...parked my car up the road from the office and threw my head under the tap to make it look like a showered in the changing area like I normally would if cycling...2 years later none the wiser..

5rtytry56 · 14-04-2015 1:20pm

kfallon wrote: »

Nobody say they did a shart on the bus/train/LUAS?

But had they to take the Red Line? That should always be a more mitigating factor. Always.

Mesrine65 · 14-04-2015 1:23pm

If I'm late, I'm not coming in.

Never late for work, ever.

soap1978 · 14-04-2015 1:24pm

Told the boss over the phone I am sick,ask me how sick I was,told me I was in bed with my sister

Corvo · 14-04-2015 1:24pm

Friend of mine rang the office one day and told them his electricity went the night before, and that he couldnt come in because he couldn't iron his shirt.

This was one week after being made permanent in there, following a few months on Jobbridge.

everlast75 · 14-04-2015 1:28pm

We had an office in Dame Street, Dublin and a girl who worked for us lived in Christchurch and used to walk to work.

One morning, she strolled into the office 10 minutes late. I popped my head into the office and asked why she was late.

Her reply?

Traffic

razorblunt · 14-04-2015 1:29pm

Almost got to my desk once before I got a call from the Mrs saying she "thinks" she left the hair straightener plugged in, she worked a fair bit away so I had to jump in a taxi. Turned out she hadnt left it plugged in at all.

My boss looked at it as seeing as I was almost sat down I wasn't late!! Win win.

PARlance · 14-04-2015 1:29pm

anncoates wrote: »

You arnott serious

Cleary a smartarse on our hands

tempnam · 14-04-2015 1:33pm

It's a fact of life that things will happen at the worst possible times....

This morning I ended up having to take my daughter to the doctor instead of going to work. She woke up in a lot of pain, and couldn't properly open her eyes. I called the boss and explained. He was very understanding, and even said something along the lines of: "yeah sure you have to prioritise these things".

If you're constantly late and always full of excuses however I'm sure it's a different story, and you're seen as just taking the pi*s.

alwaysadub · 14-04-2015 1:39pm

I was a few minutes late this morning cos 2 cows from a neighbours field had escaped and were sauntering down the road with not a care in the world.
Country living at its best.

messrs · 14-04-2015 1:41pm

rocky911 wrote: »

One of the lads out on the piss the night before rang in sick at 4 in the morning with a dose of the scutters...camein at 7.30 forgot he rang insaying that he was going to be late because he forgot to set his alarm...

my old flatmate went out on a Friday nite and go so drunk, she woke up at 8 on sat morn and forgot what day it was sat so rang her boss and left a message on his phone saying she wouldn't be able to come into work as she was up all night getting sick & tried to pretend she had some stomach bug ( she only worked mon - fri) got a lecture of the boss on Monday and was told never to ring in sick after a night out drinking!

montyrebel · 14-04-2015 1:49pm

TheBeardedLady wrote: »

A burst pipe and having to wait for the plumber is one of my favorite excuses here - I've used that twice in the last 5 years (because my students are always telling me about their burst pipes - common occurrence here, it seems).

Two genuine stupid reasons I was late for work was not being able to find my shoes and getting locked into the apartment by my boyfriend. I told the truth in the latter case but not the first one. I live in an apartment too small for munchkins but always lose my shoes in it but I'd sound like a right simpleton using that as an excuse.

???

Egginacup · 14-04-2015 1:52pm

Any job I've ever been in they have almost always be very lax. I work in IT and also have few side operations.
Usually stroll in between 9 and 9:45 everyday. No bother. If I am excessiviely late I just text saying "running late" and if I was smashed out of my skull the night before then I just "work from home" or call in and say "I'm taking a mental health day"

I know some people can never seem to get to work on time. I'm one of them and it's something I don't understand. I managed to be on time for school everyday for 13 years and on time for college for another 4 years (give or take the odd fuckup with the alarm clock or the bus stuck in traffic bedlam).

deadybai · 14-04-2015 1:56pm

First day of my new job. I was getting ready dressed up in my suit. Sat down the car and the button bust on my only trousers. Had to ring my mother to sow the button as I didn't know how to. Managed to be a half an hour late. Luckily they thought that I thought I started at half 9 instead if 9

To Elland Back · 14-04-2015 2:02pm

gramar wrote: »

Long-term unemployed?

Nope, only unemployed 6 months during those years. I'm obsessive about punctuality. I'll often turn up to a match, meeting, dinner etc over an hour early and I hate others to be late. If I have to go somewhere new, I'll research the route and parking in detail. I might even go the day before as a practice run.

messrs · 14-04-2015 2:22pm

To Elland Back wrote: »

Nope, only unemployed 6 months during those years. I'm obsessive about punctuality. I'll often turn up to a match, meeting, dinner etc over an hour early and I hate others to be late. If I have to go somewhere new, I'll research the route and parking in detail. I might even go the day before as a practice run.

You sound just like me! Id rather be 1 hour early than 5 minutes late for something, am also obsessive about looking into how to get there, be it walking, bus, luas ect I have to have it timed and wont take any chances, have to allow for traffic delays and everything esp if going by bus. I just cant abide lateness!

14-04-2015 2:27pm

Egginacup wrote: »

Any job I've ever been in they have almost always be very lax. I work in IT and also have few side operations.
Usually stroll in between 9 and 9:45 everyday. No bother. If I am excessiviely late I just text saying "running late" and if I was smashed out of my skull the night before then I just "work from home" or call in and say "I'm taking a mental health day"

I'm so used to flexibility now I don't know how I would get back into strict times were I to work somewhere that had them. Reading about people being asked why they were 10 mins late is frightening for someone who could vary the time they go in by about 2 hours from one day to the next (more if there was beer involved).

areu4real? · 14-04-2015 3:02pm

rocky911 wrote: »

One I personally used was that my bike got a puncture when I was cycling in...parked my car up the road from the office and threw my head under the tap to make it look like a showered in the changing area like I normally would if cycling...2 years later none the wiser..

LOL, why not just say you got a puncture in the car? :P

eternal · 14-04-2015 3:08pm

Went to a wedding and drank all night. I woke up the next day in bits and looked at my watch mixing up the little and big hands. Ended up in work gone lunch time instead of 9 am. Thought that 11.40 was 8 am.

Egginacup · 14-04-2015 3:38pm

Another shitty predicament is what I call the public transport "snowball effect"

In one job I had to take a metro, an intercity train and then a small regional train (in the Netherlands), then a 10 minute walk to the office.

Because the way the times were and how they overlapped if I left home at 7:45, all the pieces fell into place and I'd get in about 9:00 - 9:15.

If I left 5 minutes later, the whole sequences got fucked out of whack and I'd be lucky to be in by 10.

Boskowski · 14-04-2015 3:40pm

I was late for work because I always am

Fat Christy · 14-04-2015 3:41pm

Because I got high, because I got high, because I got hiiiiiigggghhhh.

Dadadadadada

kfallon · 14-04-2015 3:43pm

Never late, always a minute or two early! Tbh I live 2 mins from work so I'd have some cheek turning up late unless I got a very bad dose of the scutts just as I was about to leave!

FunLover18 · 14-04-2015 3:45pm

I was once half an hour late for my first training day of a new job because I was buzzing the wrong office to be let into the building. Wandering outside wondering why they would schedule me for a training day and then not let me in.

syklops · 14-04-2015 3:53pm

everlast75 wrote: »

We had an office in Dame Street, Dublin and a girl who worked for us lived in Christchurch and used to walk to work.

One morning, she strolled into the office 10 minutes late. I popped my head into the office and asked why she was late.

Her reply?

Traffic

10 minutes late you say?

Yeah Traffic was a stupid response. She should have replied with "Go F&^k yourself".

everlast75 · 14-04-2015 3:55pm

syklops wrote: »

10 minutes late you say?

Yeah Traffic was a stupid response. She should have replied with "Go F&^k yourself".

And I would have responded with a P45 :rolleyes:

syklops · 14-04-2015 3:59pm

everlast75 wrote: »

And I would have responded with a P45 :rolleyes:

Imagine the buzz you would have gotten from that! The power running through those little fingers.

everlast75 · 14-04-2015 4:08pm

syklops wrote: »

Imagine the buzz you would have gotten from that! The power running through those little fingers.

what exactly is your problem?

You'd think it would be ok for an employee (who you might note had a history of being late) to come in late again, without any explanation, and proffer a stupid explanation - and furthermore not expect to be questioned on it?

She wasn't reprimanded or warned, so it has nothing to do with being power hungry (which your second reply suggests).

And as for your first reply - yes, any employee who would tell me to go **** myself would get fired on the spot and deservedly so. I would expect to get fired if i said that to my boss. Again, that's nothing to do with being power hungry.

Showing some respect to your employer is basic stuff tbh. I don't know how you made it this far in life if you don't know that.

Dia1988 · 14-04-2015 4:10pm

A puncture is usually a good cover, until they realise you drive a BMW on run flat tyres!

BreadnBuddha · 14-04-2015 4:35pm

everlast75 wrote: »

what exactly is your problem?

You'd think it would be ok for an employee (who you might note had a history of being late) to come in late again, without any explanation, and proffer a stupid explanation - and furthermore not expect to be questioned on it?

She wasn't reprimanded or warned, so it has nothing to do with being power hungry (which your second reply suggests).

And as for your first reply - yes, any employee who would tell me to go **** myself would get fired on the spot and deservedly so. I would expect to get fired if i said that to my boss. Again, that's nothing to do with being power hungry.

Showing some respect to your employer is basic stuff tbh. I don't know how you made it this far in life if you don't know that.

You should have some cop on. Maybe she stayed somewhere else the night before. You presumed she came from her home, 5 minutes away. You don't know that.

No matter the reason, she was late. As an employer, the reason is none of your damned business. Got a problem with her being late, tell her. Fair play to her for a curt answer delivered.

syklops · 14-04-2015 4:41pm

everlast75 wrote: »

what exactly is your problem?

You'd think it would be ok for an employee (who you might note had a history of being late) to come in late again, without any explanation, and proffer a stupid explanation - and furthermore not expect to be questioned on it?

How would I note that exactly, you didn't mention that in your post, you just said she lived nearby and was 10 minutes late on one particular occasion.

She wasn't reprimanded or warned, so it has nothing to do with being power hungry (which your second reply suggests).

Was it really worth your time (or hers) to enquire why some one was late by ten minutes? If it is so important to get in by an arbitrary time, why waste that time?

And as for your first reply - yes, any employee who would tell me to go **** myself would get fired on the spot and deservedly so. I would expect to get fired if i said that to my boss. Again, that's nothing to do with being power hungry.

Showing some respect to your employer is basic stuff tbh. I don't know how you made it this far in life if you don't know that.

What if she had used softer language? Mr Everlast, I apologise, but we are talking ten minutes, I got delayed, it was outside of my control. Are you asking out of some sort of concern for my personal well being or do you just enjoy watching me squirm and wanted me to know you had noticed?

In a professional workplace respect goes both ways.

everlast75 · 14-04-2015 4:46pm

BreadnBuddha wrote: »

she was late. As an employer, the reason is none of your damned business

So if an employee is late (again), you don't get that I'm entitled to an apology and an explanation????

Or are you suggesting that I shouldn't enquire - but rather
a) ignore it
b) issue a warning?

This whole thread is about silly reasons for being late for work. I posted what I believed to be a silly reason. You seem to have taken umbrage, **** knows why.

Anyhoo, there's no point in trying to convince you. Way to bring a thread down...

everlast75 · 14-04-2015 4:51pm

syklops wrote: »

..............................

Okaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyy..

This thread was fairly light-hearted until you turned it into an Employee Tribunal matter.

I'm fairly sure everyone else here is bored to tears with this exchange, so if you have a problem can we take it to PM?

Alternatively, we can both agree that we think the other is talking ****** and leave it at that? Its up to you.

Thanks.

BreadnBuddha · 14-04-2015 4:59pm

everlast75 wrote: »

So if an employee is late (again), you don't get that I'm entitled to an apology and an explanation????

Or are you suggesting that I shouldn't enquire - but rather
a) ignore it
b) issue a warning?

This whole thread is about silly reasons for being late for work. I posted what I believed to be a silly reason. You seem to have taken umbrage, **** knows why.

Anyhoo, there's no point in trying to convince you. Way to bring a thread down...

You're not entitled to an explanation. You might feel like she should apologise but my many years experience in managing teams means I'd rather they just weren't late again. The apology is worthless. They're either remorseful and show it through action, it was out of their control so shouldn't apologise anyway or they don't care. It's one of the three. Only your ego benefits from an apology.

Why have I been late? Somebody on the Internet was wrong and I spent too much time trying to fix them. The broken arsed bastards.

Generic Dreadhead · 14-04-2015 5:06pm

anncoates wrote: »

It actually does happen. I bumped into an ex years ago and was chatting to her on the street and it happened to her there and then.

Oh god, this is just too perfect, all you needed then was for your new hotter, thinner, blonder, buxomier (sp), bubbly new girlfriend to walk up and be like "Oh hey, fancy you meeting you guys here". :pac:

14-04-2015 5:17pm

everlast75 wrote: »

what exactly is your problem?

You'd think it would be ok for an employee (who you might note had a history of being late) to come in late again, without any explanation, and proffer a stupid explanation - and furthermore not expect to be questioned on it?

Why the need for the strictness, so what if they are 10 mins late, they might be 10 mins early another day or wait longer another time. It all balances out imo just some places are anal about it and other don't care once the work is done.

I might feck off at lunch on a Fiday and not come back (and tell no one) but another time I'll be in on a saturday for a few hours when something is needed to be done.

somefeen · 14-04-2015 5:19pm

Im always late and no one seems to care.

Im clearly not very important

everlast75 · 14-04-2015 5:34pm

Lucille Crooked Skunk wrote: »

Why the need for the strictness, so what if they are 10 mins late, they might be 10 mins early another day or wait longer another time. It all balances out imo just some places are anal about it and other don't care once the work is done.

I might feck off at lunch on a Fiday and not come back (and tell no one) but another time I'll be in on a saturday for a few hours when something is needed to be done.

I would have no problem with that - its a good work ethic to have - you make up your time, give and take - that's gameball!

The problem with her (and I didn't feel the need to go into her whole bio at the start - it was an attempt at a funny post after all) was that she was late a lot, would never work late and thought nothing of strolling in late. I think its basic manners to apologise or even acknowledge that she was late; otherwise an employer would think that it doesn't register on her radar and that she thinks its okay to stroll in whenever she wanted to.

Respect does indeed go both ways. For example, it would have been disrespectful to call her into an office without giving her the chance to explain, bollock her out of it and issue a warning. I did nothing approaching that. I asked for an explanation, that is all. It seems some assume the worst about employers, probably because of some grief in their past.

We are more than lenient in this place, have never fired anyone and on that occasion, I asked her about it, thought her reply was funny - that's all.

Son Of A Vidic · 14-04-2015 5:38pm

Dia1988 wrote: »

A puncture is usually a good cover, until they realise you drive a BMW on run flat tyres!

Still, you'd deserve a day off for driving a crock.

Shemale · 14-04-2015 5:55pm

SpaceTime wrote: »

I had one totally unreasonable boss though. My house was broken into overnight and I had to wait for a locksmith to secure the door and wait on the Gardai.

She gave me a verbal and written warning and called me a liar in front of the whole office!

I'm still annoyed about it.

Gardai report and email to HR

downonthefarm · 14-04-2015 6:07pm

Keyzer wrote: »

My wife fell down the stairs... Always a good one to use.

Think Joe o Reilly used that one

Shemale · 14-04-2015 7:04pm

Not exactly late but funny.

A friend of my lives in Balbriggan and works in Sandyford, he was out on the piss over Christmas. He woke up at 6,.had brekkie, walked to the train, got off at Tara St, walked to Luas, ranted on facebook about being the only person in Ireland working,.gets.to work, office.locked up as it was Sunday.

Spend 6 hours of his day off on transport, waiting on transport or walking, lol

Potential-Monke · 14-04-2015 8:45pm

Not really a late excuse. Years ago, i was just after buying 2 games that i had been waiting ages for. I was due into work for 12, and had only played about a 1/2 hour of the first game. I decided i didn't want to work that day, so concocted a genius plan. I got the late bus into work, but brought the games in the bag with me. I tore the bag slightly, and punched myself into the face twice or three times, can't quite remember. Anyway, when walking into work, i put a sullen face on me, and delayed my reactions to people by a second or two. When i sat down at my desk, i took a few minutes of waiting before starting to log on. The manager came over and asked why i was late. I forced some tears into my eyes, and told her that i was nearly mugged on the way to work, but that i managed to get away. Told her i was a bit upset over it. She felt so sorry for me, she gave me the rest of the day off, paid!!! Should have seen the smile on my face on the bus home!

MugMugs · 17-04-2015 2:43pm

Potential-Monke wrote: »

I decided i didn't want to work that day, so concocted a genius plan............................ and punched myself into the face twice or three times, can't quite remember. ..................... Should have seen the smile on my face on the bus home!

I probably wouldn't go about telling anybody that pretty much ever.

ProudDUB · 17-04-2015 11:54pm

Misadventures in gerbilling. (Google it. Not gonna explain it here.) Had to go to the emergency room.

Got that excuse from a waiter at a restaurant that I used to manage. He was a real party animal (no pun intended

) who always went out on the town after work. I was used to getting all sorts of excuses the next day, as to why he was late for work. But this one took the biscuit. He had a doctors note n'all. The doctor earned his pay check that night, that's for sure ! :eek:

18-04-2015 12:07am

Late for work once because the party didn't finish until 08:45 should have been in work @08:30, had to drive in (25 miles), how I got there and did a day's work is still a mystery! :hic:

I was late for work because..

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