Calling off on a Friday or Monday might make them think you just want a long weekend. So try to call in sick on a random, uneventful day in the middle of the week so as not to raise your boss's suspicions: if you pick the wrong day to fake sick, it'll be a lot harder to make a convincing case for yourself.
“Most absences start on a Monday, but they only need to extend for two more days to include Wednesday.” Steve also believes that employees who have less genuine reasons for absence may choose to call in sick on Wednesday to lay the groundwork for a long weekend.
Well, there's a reason your boss is so suspicious. Monday is by far the most popular day, with 20% of sick day searches occurring on the first day of the workday.
Let your boss know about your illness as soon as possible. If you are feeling ill the night before and know you won't make it in to work, you can send your boss a message that evening. Otherwise, tell your boss first thing in the morning.
Some people stop everything at the first signs of a serious cold, stomach bug, or other illness. That might seem extreme, but it is a good idea to call in sick and take a pause to rest and regroup before you become seriously ill, especially those who are working in-person.
The next time you wake up ill, the best practice is to call in immediately and request a sick day. It is up to you whether you choose to disclose brief details upfront. If your employer asks, you should provide general details, unless your illness is protected by the ADA.
The poll of 2,000 U.S. adults revealed 41% are likely to call in sick at work the moment they feel themselves getting sick.
That doesn't mean you should call out sick whenever you're a little tired or don't feel 100 percent. But when you've been under a lot of stress and you're feeling run-down, taking a personal day to yourself—just like you would if you had the flu—can help you rest and decompress.
If you're experiencing chronic insomnia and you repeatedly feel unable to work because of sleepiness then it's perfectly justifiable to take sick leave. Your employer may expect you to be actively seeking treatment for you sleep problems or for the medical conditions that may be disturbing you sleep.
If you normally text with your employer, texting in sick would be acceptable. However, if communication is normally done via the phone, sending a text might not be appropriate. Also, asking someone else in the office to pass along your message typically isn't appropriate.
But if there's one thing you really need to be careful about at work, it's calling in sick when you're not, in fact, ill. Faking sickness to snag time off is a fairly common practice these days, with an estimated 40% of workers calling in sick when they're perfectly fine.
According to a Statista survey of adults in work or study in 2022, 26% took no sick days off. 6% took 1 sick day off. 15% took no more than 3 days off.
Traditional sickness explanations
Men, the theory goes, are more likely to go into work when they are sick – whether or not that may be a good idea. The second is that women tend to be the main carer for children or elderly relatives, and are therefore more likely to take sick days to deal with emergencies.
Sick days are an important asset of working life that help keep employees safe. There are plenty of times when using a sick day should be a no-brainer. If you have a case of the flu or food poisoning, the obvious answer is yes, stay home and heal.
It's important to clearly tell your employer that you're taking sick time and for how long so they know how to meet your usual responsibilities and when they might expect you to return. If you've taken a day off already and now want to ask for more time, you may follow up on your first message to ask for an extension.
Call in sick when: You have symptoms of physical illness: If you experience a fever, vomiting, diarrhea, sore throat, coughing, or other physical symptoms, call in sick to work to avoid possible viral spread to your fellow employees.
Some people are able to function on only 3 hours very well and actually perform better after sleeping in bursts. Though many experts do still recommend a minimum of 6 hours of sleep a night, with 8 being preferable.
You may experience a reduced reaction time, poor memory, poor concentration, and irritability. However, there are claims that two hours could be too much sleep when deciding whether to have two hours or nothing at all.
When informing your boss about your sick leave, keep things to the point without over-explaining your illness and symptoms. Instead, briefly explain why you're taking a sick leave (e.g. contagious illness such as flu and cold, stomach flu or family issues) and state your approximation of the period you'll be away.
According to one Winnipeg psychologist, this anxiety to call in sick is likely related to social anxiety. “Many people who experience this may likely also experience other fears of letting people down or confrontation or general fear of negative evaluation,” said director of Clinic Psychology Manitoba Dr.
Breathe through your mouth and cough often to pretend to have the flu. Common symptoms of the flu include runny or stuffy nose, cough, chills, achiness, and fatigue. Avoid breathing through your nose so you sound stuffy when you talk. Keep tissues nearby so you can blow your nose frequently to make it more believable.
Stress is the most common mental issue that can be faced by employees and often this is the reason why they will call in sick. If an employee is in the middle of a difficult project and it is overwhelming to them, they might opt to hide at home and procrastinate instead.
But unless you've got other symptoms like aches or fever, get dressed and go to work! If you've been sick for a few days and you now cough up darker yellow mucus, it's still probably just a cold. But if it goes on this way for more than a week, it's a good idea to see your doctor.
You are usually given 5 to 10 days of sick leave yearly. Anything more than that would seem to be excessive.