Good Reasons to Call Out of Work + Bad Excuses to Avoid

Most employers are at least a bit frustrated when an employee isn’t able to arrive for a scheduled shift, and typically with good reason. Generally, calling out of work means contacting your employer and saying you won’t be able to make it in for a scheduled https://remotemode.net/blog/10-valid-reasons-to-call-out-of-work/ shift or workday. Although there’s no federal law requiring that every job grants you vacation time, chances are your employee handbook maps out how and when you can step away. Think of mourning a death as if it were a physical illness, says Dr. Rubenstein.

And so you need a “white lie” to tell that doesn’t hurt your standing of being a good employee. While it may not seem like the arrival of mail is one of the better excuses to miss work, it can be if it requires a signature and the delivery date changed without prior notice. Usually, this one is a better option if you already informed your workplace that a signature-required package https://remotemode.net/ was on the way. However, even if it’s short notice – as some urgent shipments can inherently be – this could be a solid reason. You’ll want to let your manager know as much about the situation as possible, including whether you’ll need time to handle specific tasks or attend a service. Certain kinds of family emergencies are good reasons to call out of work without much notice.

Excuses To Call Out Of Work: Why Is It Okay?

Most employers don’t want this spreading throughout the workplace, so they often tell you to stay home if you are feeling sick – even if you have only been exposed. The best acceptable reasons to miss work are to say you’re feeling ill or require a mental health day. It can often lead to situations that hinder our ability to meet our work obligations. Whether it’s a sudden illness, a pressing family emergency, or an unexpected jury duty summons, there are numerous legitimate reasons why you might need to call out of work.

You might have a perfectly good reason to call out of work, but if you don’t communicate with your boss, you could put your job in jeopardy. The science behind Inner Work® tells us that we return to our workplace as better communicators, better teammates, and better leaders. In fact, it’s been shown to improve employee retention, employee engagement, and even curb the impact of burnout. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic brought childcare problems for many working parents.

You’re Feeling Sick

Typically, we aren’t able to predict reasons why we may need to miss work. Not feeling well, needing to take care of a sick child, or even an ill-timed doctor’s appointment are all valid reasons to call out of work. Just try to give your employer as much notice as possible and discuss how you can make up for the time lost. Of course, the right to take a day off due to illness also applies to remote workers. After all, it’s not easy to perform well when feeling under the weather, even if you don’t have to commute to an office. However, they may count your personal day or mental health day as one of your sick days.

That’s a bit trickier, because not all of your usual excuses will work (after all, you don’t need to leave the house). For example, your employer might give you a certain number of paid sick days per year, but taking time off because your cat is sick might not qualify. Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he’s been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.