Calling in "Sick"

Iang87

Hi Lads,

Quick question. Have you ever called in sick to work because you just couldn't face going in. The thought of it just kills you. If so what did you say or did you give the usual "I have the flu".

I just couldn't be arsed lying about it to be honest

Xterminator

i dont think too many people actually love their job. not in my acquaintance anyway.
but i think its a matter of personal standards that i turn up on time and dont take p|ss calling in sick etc.

i couldn't recommend lying to your employer, & i dont know if you have a sick pay scheme either, as that might be a fraudulent if you claim a sick day and your not.

if the jobs that bad would you not just find another and leave?

antix80

I know a guy who phoned his employer and said he "wasn't fit to come into work". The employer asked "why, are you sick?" He said, "no, I've been drinking all day". He was fine, he didn't like the job anyway and found another.

throwing a sickie can be fine, or it can be a very slippery slope.

I know a guy who took a week off every year without fail. No questions asked. Sick leave was paid. He had longevity in his job.

My experience. I hated work. I threw sickies now and again. I waste my annual leave on odd days off. When i tried to take a full week off, i got calls at home, and when i went back the workload was unmanageable.

Sooo... Enough anecdotes. My advice...

If you can't face work, you need to have a serious think about why you hate it and what you can do instead.

Generally, it's best to have a plan before leaving work permanently. At least be working towards something else, but even then that's not written in stone.

If this is a once off, just go ahead and phone in sick. You can make up any excuse.

Don't let anyone on here guilt you for taking a sick day. Employers should have sufficient staff levels to cover employee absences. Also, not all illnesses are colds and flus. Some more serious ones relate to mental health for example and you're entitled to keep such things private. So best to say migraine or a cold.

BetsyEllen

Why can't you face going in?

If you are suffering from depression, then you're not actually lying about being unwell. Although one day from work is not going to cure you, just bear that in mind.

Look, people can get on their high horse and say it's morally wrong etc but the majority of us have done it at some stage in our lives for whatever reason.

Just say 'I'm sorry but I won't be in today, I'm not feeling very well'.
It's none of their business what exactly is wrong with your body - if you feel pressure to explain further say you have an upset stomach.

Big Bag of Chips

Don't say you have the flu! Real flu lasts at least a week and you physically cannot stir with it. If you say you have the flu and turn up before at least next Monday or Tuesday your boss will know you didn't have the flu.

You can say you're not feeling well. Which isn't a lie. The odd sick day isn't going to do any harm, but if you find yourself taking more than the odd one it's time to reconsider the job.

Ursus Horribilis

+1 to the flu comment by BBOC. I was about to say the very same thing but she beat me to it. The flu has turned into a cover-all for lots of ailments. A real flu will flatten you and you'll barely be able to pick up the phone to ring in sick, let alone recover overnight. Any employer with half a brain will smell bullsh*t. Better to say you've got food poisoning/stomach bug.

Having said that, if you're unhappy enough to want to ring in sick on a regular basis then it's time to find a new job. We all have days when we'd rather do anything other than go into work but usually it shouldn't be too big a deal. I had a job that I hated once. The job was horrible and the people weren't very nice. I used to feel a knot in my stomach in the mornings when I woke up, it was that bad. Luckily I found another job quickly and this one doesn't appear on my CV.

CdeC

I think once in a while, a Duvet day is ok. I suppose occasionally your head mightn't be with it.
I relate it to being sick, but just more a mental sick than a physical sick. So take a day to get back on track
If it's once in a while fine. Every second week get a new job.

Fakediamond

I had a friend who advocated that we should all phone in well occasionally, as in "I'm feeling far too well to come to work today" and just enjoy a day off, for no particular reason!

amtc

Sudden family trauma...a force majeure day. I'm only child and my mam was away and my dad genuinely was taken into hospital.

However I had an employee once who had a huge amount of relatives die necessitating a Monday morning or a Friday evening funeral, coupled with telling colleagues about his great weekends back in Galway. After the 4th granny that was him gone. Funnily enough he's now very successful. It wasn't the right job for him...I inherited him.

cbyrd

There's a tummy bug doing the rounds at the moment.. i know cos its going through my house one by one.. it's a 1 or 2 day thing.. give you enough duvet day time. I think sometimes when you're feeling like this a day or 2 off can do the world of good.

If you're starting to consider taking days off because of how little you want to go in, then maybe it might be time to look for a new one.

Now, everyone has those days, but if they're becoming more numbered, then you should definitely do it.