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Call Mid-Week for a More Believable 'Sick Day'
Posted by Kevin Purdy at 11:00 PM on September 8, 2008
The Asylum blog compiles some solid advice on how to call in sick, even if you don't meet the traditional definition of "sick"—take that how you will. One of the best bits of advice involves the timing of your sick day, as noted by the editor of the Save the Assistants blog:
Pick a random Tuesday or Wednesday for your fake illness. At a lot of companies, there are mysterious sick waves on the day after a long weekend or on a really beautiful day in the summer. You can get away with that once in a while, but if you only come down with the flu on really beautiful Friday afternoons in the summer, everyone will be on to you. Taking off a day in the middle of the week will also make it less likely that you have 400 emails to sort through all at once when you come back from your elongated holiday.
Valid point, and the others are worth keeping in mind also. Photo by Perfecto Insecto.
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
rawbzilla
Posted 11:34 PM 8/9/08
I've known that little "hack" for awhile now!
:)
rawbzilla
Flyerist
Posted 12:01 AM 9/9/08
My company doesn't count days, but rather occurrences, defined as any stretch of days when you are out. So a three day stretch is one occurrence, which is the maximum that you can have before a doctor's note is needed. As someone with 800+ hours of sick time in the bank, I don't feel too bad about it. As for calling in, we have a manager on duty 24/7, so no voicemail bang ins allowed.
Flyerist
AlmostVegetarian.com
Posted 11:58 PM 8/9/08
And, whatever you do, don't return to the office with a helluva tan.
Then the day of the week doesn't matter at all!
Cheers.
AlmostVegetarian.com
Sanjo
Posted 11:55 PM 8/9/08
So it's not just obvious to do this then?
Hmmm.
I like the whole 'being-sick' thing though. Works far better than faking it. And sorta helps with the whole theme of getting things done that this site has/had. ;_;
Sanjo
viewsource
Posted 12:28 AM 9/9/08
Shocking? No, that's 20% for each day, for a 5 day work week it's completely normal. For a 7 day work week, ya it's high. Unless I just missed your joke.
viewsource
stevelong
Posted 12:10 AM 9/9/08
Did you know that over 40% of all sick days are taken on either a Monday or a Friday? Shocking isn't it!
stevelong
ffolliet
Posted 1:45 AM 9/9/08
before the whole tirade against just taking a sick day begins can i point out that there is some evidence, that if employees take a small number of "mental Health Days" each year that can be simply called in as required, then the number of total days of absence taken overall actually reduces.
importantly, i certainly find that people who should be taking a day off turn up sicker than helpful because they feel they can't justify their absence or feel they would be criticised if not present. the culture of taking such leave is always difficult.
ffolliet
onesix18
Posted 1:33 AM 9/9/08
It's too bad that we need tips like this, isn't it?
onesix18
jupiterthunder
Posted 2:03 AM 9/9/08
Hint:
Make the call while supporting you weight on your elbows. You'll definitely sound like it is a strain just for you to talk.
Clue:
Personal days and discretionary days make employees happy and don't make them desperate liars and cheats.
jupiterthunder
vered
Posted 2:51 AM 9/9/08
Well, many companies just have "personal days", don't they? So you don't even need to pretend you're sick.
vered
eskiz
Posted 3:00 AM 9/9/08
aren't you entitled to have few sick days a year?
when I feel sick, I just say, I'm not coming tomorrow will be the work day.
eskiz
Capone
Posted 5:12 AM 9/9/08
If your spouse calls or you sound like you're dying, it's pretty obvious you're faking; but does anyone really care, outside of a Dicken's novel?
Capone
phayte28
Posted 6:17 AM 9/9/08
if i have the sick time built up which a normally do. i have about 300+ sick time i not afraid of calling in sick or feel the need to play little games. i just tell my supervisor that I am not coming in and that's it.
phayte28
carolinagirl
Posted 1:42 PM 9/9/08
Pretending to be sick is ridiculous for a number of reason:
1. You're always better off to go in for at least a while and leave early if you really just want/need a break so you don't come back to a pile of overdue work
2. When you're really sick you may have to use some other reason to avoid being known as the office hypochondriac
3. It's lying - and that's just not showing integrity
carolinagirl
Dignan17
Posted 2:19 PM 9/9/08
This is why sick days piss me off in the first place. My dad, who managed his office, said it best: "I merged sick days and annual leave because I got tired of people lying to me." Who wants that? As a result, his office had about 1.5x the amount of annual leave that most offices get.
The other reason I like that idea is because I'm one of those people who rarely gets sick. I understand it's no fun to be sick, but you know what? I'd rather be sick at home watching movies in bed and sipping soup than dealing with IT support in an office environment any day. So in the end I feel like I'm cheated of those hours.
That's why I sometimes called in sick when I wasn't. And I'm glad I did. I left that company and have never been happier. The only problem? I'm my own boss now. I can call in sick whenever I want, but I don't get paid :)
Dignan17
kwbridge
Posted 1:02 AM 10/9/08
@vered: Where I work has two personal days - not too good. They generally need to be used for doctor and dentist appointments.
Sick days? I go to work when I don't feel well unless it is really serious. I have 6/yr and I need to use them when my daughter is sick regardless of what day of the week it is.
kwbridge
drsmith
Posted 9:07 AM 10/9/08
@ffolliet:
Yes! That's exactly what we call them - there are no such things as 'fake' sick days. If you need a day off to keep from coming to the office with a bad attitude or an AK-47, by all means, please take the day off.
drsmith
Tycalibre
Posted 12:55 AM 9/9/08
Don't forget the "convincing 2 dayer" tactic as well.
Tycalibre