ALT-5 Best Excuses for Calling in Sick
The only truly legitimate, honest, fair and ethical reason for calling in sick is sickness. If you're really too sick to go to class or to work, or to make it to a group event or meeting, you have to call in - there's no way around that. It's not just a matter of company policy, school regulations, or even common courtesy. It's also a matter of making sure your job is covered, and that people understand you're not skipping out for other reasons.
Calling in sick is appropriate when your ailments will prevent you from performing your tasks accurately, or when you're contagious with germs that will infect others. It's legitimate when your condition would make operating machinery dangerous, including the vehicle you drive to work or to school or to that club meeting. It's genuine when forging ahead despite illness would set you back another day or two with your recovery, or worse, land you in the hospital.
If you're going to call in sick for reasons other than sickness, don't call in sick. You're being deceitful when you use sickness as an excuse if you're really avoiding the boss, a coworker, a professor, an exam, a speaking engagement, or a group of people.
All of us have a day now and then when we'd rather not face the world in any of its various forms. When it's that, it's best to find a way to explain without using sickness as an excuse. If your company allows for a certain number of "Personal Day" absences, use them on days when you just can't face it. Caution - if you have many of these days, talk to your health care professional.
A few guidelines to determine when you're sick. You may call in sick if -
- you have a temperature above 98.6 and can't face breakfast.*you ache all over and have chills. Stay in bed. You could have the flu.*you hurt all over and your Fibromyalgia is flaring - you need a day.*you're dizzy or weak. Stay away from the stairs and out of the shower.*you have a really bad sore throat. If you see white spots, call the doctor.*you can't stop coughing. It's impolite to cough up a lung in public.*you have vomiting. Don't describe it as "projectile." (Or say your head spun around.)*you have diarrhea. Don't say it's "explosive." (Creates a mental image - not good.)*you have a rash all over. It's best not to describe this at all.*you have a headache from hell, otherwise known as a migraine.*you have excessive menstrual bleeding. Hemorrhaging at work is frowned upon.*you've severely injured or broken something. Anything more than a fingernail.*you're back has gone out, but you won't be able to.*you have one of these, or a combination, or all of the above. In this case, well...please accept our condolences.
These and a host of other symptoms of illness are valid reasons to call in sick - if they're true. But if they're not, save the sickness excuses until a time when they're for real, which we hope is never. Instead, take advantage of comp time or personal days for those occasions when you need a day to just regroup.
