7 Legitimate Reasons to Call Out of Work

Don’t be afraid to use this as a reason for calling off work. Just because no one else in your company is doing so doesn’t mean it’s not valid, and most managers are more than understanding. This is also something that you can easily notify your employer about ahead of time, since holidays are predictable events. While there’s no federal bereavement leave law, some companies do have a bereavement leave policy. If you’ve used up all of your bereavement leave, however, you may need to take a sick day to grieve longer — or even week down the line — if it’s needed. You should, however, plan your sick day ahead if you know you need a day to grieve.

However, whether your employer does or doesn’t, call in promptly and give them an overview of the situation, ensuring they have a clear picture of why driving in isn’t an option for you. Still, that doesn’t mean there are solid excuses to not go to work even if you can’t provide much of a heads up. Here are the top 10 good reasons to call out of work on short notice. Let your employer know why you’re calling out without digging into too many details.

good reasons to call out work

As the founder of MatchBuilt, a premier career coaching and recruiting firm, I am passionate about helping individuals transform their professional lives. You can reference your employee handbook or talk to a human resource representative and ensure you follow the laid-out policies. Taking the day off, seeking treatment, and resting is better than reporting to work, being unproductive, and probably spreading the illness to colleagues. Interestingly, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics actually tracks workplace absences weekly. In fact, as of the writing of this article, the months of July 2022 and April 2020 had the two highest monthly workplace absences by far since 2012.

Even when you catch yourself before you fall, you’re left feeling panicked with your heart racing and adrenaline pumping through your body. Don’t overplay this excuse, though – if you didn’t seriously hurt yourself, don’t fake a broken leg or anything like that. After all, it’s one of the most believable excuses for getting out of work.

work Excuse #9 You Have a Medical Appointment

If you receive a jury summons in the mail, you have one of the best excuses to call out of work. Jury duty is a responsibility that you can’t avoid, so be sure to ask for time off as soon as you know you need it. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic brought childcare problems for many working parents. And even though the effects of the pandemic have faded, parents still need workplace flexibility as they juggle raising their children and contributing to their jobs.

• However, not many bosses will ask for more details when you say you have a personal or family emergency.
• Whether they run away or accidentally wander outside, locating them can take an entire day.
• Whatever the trouble, just be sure to inform your manager as soon as you can.
• Or, you’ve been on the waitlist for a specialist, and an appointment opened today.
• Mention a spiked temperature when you call in and your boss will practically beg you to stay home, just so you don’t infect the rest of the office.

Prioritizing your safety should be the highest order of importance on a day like this. Taking time off work to manage the crisis is sometimes a necessary response—for example, if you’re dealing with a major issue such as a flood or fire. Maintaining safety and wellbeing should always be your priority in moments of trouble, so it pays to stay in communication with your manager. Involve them early on and make sure they understand what’s going on, since that may have an effect on other operations too.

How to Call in Sick (With Email Examples)

Usually, you can give your employer advance notice if you need to take the day off for a medical appointment. But in some rare cases, you may need to call out at the last minute. https://remotemode.net/ Job searching when you work remotely is definitely easier than if you were in a traditional workplace. Let’s say that you woke up with a flooded basement or a leaky roof.

• If you’re feeling guilty or worried you might get fired for calling out of work, familiarize yourself with your organization’s employee handbook regarding the time-off policy.
• In some cases, calling out of work is actually a good idea.
• If you’ve used up all of your bereavement leave, however, you may need to take a sick day to grieve longer — or even week down the line — if it’s needed.
• Having a sick kid or a pipe bursting in your house are legit reasons many of us occasionally use to skip work.

According to the World Health Organization, one in four people in the world will be affected by a mental or neurological disorder. As of currently, about 450 million people currently suffer, which means that mental disorders are among the leading causes of ill-health and disability https://remotemode.net/blog/10-valid-reasons-to-call-out-of-work/ worldwide. You’re not alone in needed a mental health day — in fact, you’ve probably had coworkers who’ve done the same. But employers don’t always treat mental and physical health in the same ways. You and your coworkers should use sick days when you really need them.

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If you’re having trouble with your internet connection, remote work can feel just about impossible. But before you call out, see if you can get online using your cell phone’s hotspot or by going to a local cafe that has free WiFi. Whatever support your family member needs, it will be hard to juggle that on top of your work responsibilities (even if you work from home). Yes, you could try, but more than likely your attention will be on other things. If you can, it’s best to step away from your desk for the day and take of your family. You never know how long your interview might take or if your prospective boss might want you to interview with other team members on the spot.

Sign Up Here for advice on job searches, careers, social networking, personal branding and developing and improving your online presence. Hannah Morgan speaks and writes about job search and career strategies. She founded CareerSherpa.net to educate professionals on how to maneuver through today’s job search process. Hannah was nominated as a LinkedIn Top Voice in Job Search and Careers and is a regular contributor to US News & World Report. She has been quoted by media outlets, including Forbes, USA Today, Money Magazine, Huffington Post, as well as many other publications. She is also author of The Infographic Resume and co-author of Social Networking for Business Success.

For example, don’t say that your grandmother died when she didn’t, because when you get back, people will start offering you condolences, and you’ll have to play the part to continue the lie. If the problem is something that won’t go away in a day or two, though, your boss might ask you to start working from a cafe, coworking space, or a friend’s house. Here are some awesome excuses to get off work when working remotely. If you get robbed on the way to work, it’s one circumstance that many bosses will give you some leeway for. For example, you might need some time to cancel your credit cards, or you may not have your phone or work computer to do your work properly. In addition, abusing your sick leave allowance may come with consequences from HR if management finds out.

It could be something as simple as running out of gas on the highway as you’re commuting to the office. Or, it can be as dramatic as the family emergencies we listed earlier. Regardless, it’s important to know when to call out so that you can take care of yourself and maintain a good work-life balance.

You can never plan around these debilitating issues, so your only choice is to take things easy and wait for things to pass at home. Home emergencies can come out of nowhere, leaving you with few options. These problems require immediate attention, and you can’t address them at work. If it’s a repair issue, you must be there to allow experts in and assess the damage.