You might need to take a break from work occasionally. However, you might not always be doing it for the best reasons.
Sometimes you’re looking for a new career to get away from the tedious slog of your current employment, and other times you just don’t feel like facing your coworkers that day because of a broken relationship or too much champagne the night before. The only option is to make an explanation because you can’t always explain them to your supervisor.
THE SUITABLE AND REGULAR EXCUSES FOR MISSING WORK
Although excuses are usually just that—excuses—they are not always terrible things. There are valid excuses for missing work, and they don’t necessarily include being naughty.
So, what constitutes a credible justification? Good and frequent excuses typically share the following characteristics:
- They are sincere people. You may not now have the flu, which would prevent you from working, but you might still be ill. There are many good excuses for staying home, as you’ll see below, so an explanation doesn’t have to be false.
- They have credibility. A decent excuse is still convincing even when you are lying a bit more than you probably want to and presenting an open justification for your absence. If your justification doesn’t seem like it came from a recent Hollywood film, your supervisor is more likely to believe it and take it at face value.
Illness or medical appointment
Inform your employer that you are ill. The majority of the time, you can take a day off work without having to start bringing in doctor’s notes, but if you’re genuinely feeling OK, check the policy first! It will be adequate and plausible to inform your supervisor that you have an upset stomach or a temperature as high as an oven. It’s a rather weak but undeniably plausible justification for staying in.
Emergency at home
Another defense might be a faulty boiler or a flooded bathroom. Your supervisor has to realize that things break down all the time and that it’s unsafe to leave a sparking fridge unattended. You may simply tell your supervisor that you have a home emergency and count on them to be understanding.
Family crisis
If you have kids, you can typically get away with saying that you have a family emergency that has to be attended to. Even if you don’t truly need to remain at home with your kids every time they are ill or require extra attention, it can work when your kids do.
If your spouse or parents have had a major medical issue, you may also request a leave of absence from work. Remember to have some honesty and plausibility for the justification to be good; you don’t want to start lying too much here or attract your cousins to falsehoods.
Delivering a significant purchase
There must be someone home to receive large packages. It is prohibited to leave refrigerators, furniture, and the like on the side of the door, so you may use these situations as a reason to skip work. Even if you are merely waiting for a book delivery, it’s a plausible reason because it’s not always possible to arrange the delivery outside of your working hours.
THE FINAL LINE OF REASONS TO MISS WORK
There are several justifications for missing work (you might use your time off for starting an online business on the side). Everyday performance and attendance are not possible for all of us. However, it’s not always a smart idea to inform your employer that you need some downtime at the spa. There are times when making an explanation is the only option, and there are distinctions between a reasonable justification and one that is downright ridiculous. If you like the content then subscribe to “fun in office” for amusing workplace rumors and advice on how to deal with office clutter.
Last modified: May 3, 2023
