But in reality, there are plenty of reasons that you might call out of work. From a bad cold to needing a mental health day, it's OK to take the time you need to rest. Unfortunately, hustle culture has led many of us to believe that we should just “push through” illnesses and personal problems.
When you are showing the telltale signs of an illness, taking the day off to rest is an appropriate step to take. This distance from work is important. It is especially so where the symptoms on display might be contagious to others. It isn't just about your personal decision to "push through" or not.
Depending on your state, you may not be able to get much work done, and that's OK. The company will go on in your absence. There's no reason to be racked with guilt over missing a day or two of work because you don't feel well.
Be brief. Avoid a long-winded explanation about your illness or any doctor's appointments you might have. Simply let them know you feel ill and will be out for the day.
"Not only is it not selfish to call in sick, it is Selfirst - the practice of meeting your own needs as a priority, in ways that do not do harm to others, and sometimes can benefit them. It is actually taking care of the needs of others as well."
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.
If you don't feel that you can be as productive as usual because of your illness, many employers might prefer that you take the time off to recover and give your best effort when you return.
“In general, if you have a fever, cough or fatigue, you should stay home,” says Kevin Hur, MD, a rhinology specialist at Keck Medicine of USC. Here Dr. Hur outlines five signs that you should call in sick and stay home to rest.
Keep To The Facts
I am calling to say I won't be making it to work today as I am unwell. I expect to be back (insert date) but I will keep you well informed of my recovery” will suffice. Whatever your reason for needing some sick leave, do not feel guilty.
The best last-minute excuses to miss work include personal illness, family emergency, doctor's appointments, child care, mental health challenges, death of a loved one, and household problems. In fact, any unforeseen circumstance that requires your attention is among the best last-minute excuses to miss work.
If an employee is normally a good employee and doesn't call in sick much, the boss probably won't be unsympathetic. If the employee is known for calling in sick regularly or is known for calling in sick when they really aren't sick, the boss may be unsympathetic.
Yes, you should apologize for calling in sick.
If you can, ask if there's anything you can do to help from home and invite your team to contact you with any questions they may have.
You can be dismissed if you have a persistent or long-term illness that makes it impossible for you to do your job. Before taking any action, your employer should: look for ways to support you - for example, considering whether the job itself is making you sick and needs changing.
Well, according to the Americans with Disabilities Act and HIPAA, you don't have to tell anyone why you're taking sick time. That means you can use sick days to focus on your mental health — because it's just as important as your physical health.
If your company uses emails or phone calls to communicate when you are outside of the office, just follow the crowd; do the same. But if they have not decided on that yet, use common sense. If your boss is also your friend, and you communicated with them through text before, then it is totally fine to text in sick.
Anytime you need to call out you should give your supervisor as much notice as possible before your shift begins, when possible you should contact your employer at least 2 hours before your shift so that they can plan and prepare for your absence.
Sick Text Message Examples:
“Hi [Manager Name], so sorry for the last-minute text message, but I've had an unexpected illness come up, and I will have to take a sick day tomorrow. I've contacted [Name], who will be able to cover my shift in my absence.
I started feeling unwell yesterday evening, and I feel even worse this morning. I'm not feeling well enough to come to the office, and I don't want to risk passing anything on to anyone else. I'm going to take a sick day today to recover. Hopefully, I will be able to come back to work tomorrow.
Feeling tired and weak
With a cold – You may be tired and weak, but this feeling is typically mild and never turns into extreme exhaustion. With the flu – It's extremely common to feel tired and weak for two weeks or longer. You may also have extreme exhaustion that comes on suddenly.
If you have a fever, you are very likely to have a contagious illness. If your temperature is anything higher than 100 degrees F, you shouldn't go to work and expose everyone else to your illness.
Most managers disapprove of employees texting them in contexts that fall outside of casual communication. For example, only a third of the managers Vejby interviewed found it acceptable for staff to report in sick by text.
You have stomach bug. Or you just feel dizzy. But you feel guilty about taking sick day because you have some important undone tasks. You need to realize that no task is more important than a living person.
You can call in sick for any mental health reason, diagnosed or not, including: anxiety disorders.