Why do we feel like we have to craft the perfect reasons to call out of work?
You’re sick, you’re mentally exhausted, You’re burned out. Whatever the reason, you need to call out of work—and maybe it's last minute.
In this article, we’re going over the best excuses to call out sick from work, the worst excuses to avoid, what to do when an illness or emergency situation repeatedly calls you out of work, and how to call out of work in general, with tips for communicating with your boss.
- The 8 Best Reasons to Call Out of Work
- Last-Minute Reasons to Call Out of Work
- The Worst Excuses to Call Off Work
- How to Call Out of Work
- Housekeeping Items
The Best Reasons to Call Out of Work
Before we dive in, let's talk about the word "excuses" and how it generally has a negative connotation.
- An excuse is defined as an "attempt to lessen the blame attaching to (a fault or offense); seek to defend or justify."
- A reason, in contrast, is defined as "a cause, explanation, or justification for an action or event."
Excuses for missing work are generally considered to be lies or invalid explanations for playing hooky from work for a day.
Valid reasons, including feeling sick, needing a mental health day, or navigating a family emergency, are explanations for calling out of the workplace for a day or a period of time. The following are reasons to call out of work
8 Reasons to Call Out Sick
- Feeling Sick
- Mental Health Day or Personal Day
- Family Emergency
- Lack of Childcare
- Car or Transportation Problems
- Doctor's Appointment
- Pet Emergency
- Bereavement
1. You're Feeling Sick
You have a fever, a cold, and everything gnarly that comes along with feeling under the weather. Your boss doesn't need to know the gory details. Feel free to write a quick sick day email and get back to resting.
If your workplace requires a doctor's note, but you are too unwell to get to the doctor, you can try connecting with a teladoc. However, it's our opinion that any workplace that requires a doctor's note for an employee's illness is...not a place you want to work.
2. You Need a Mental Health Day
The workplace is stressful, and it's absolutely a good excuse for missing work. If your schedule permits, and you're not up against an insurmountable deadline, take a mental health day.
You may decide to request a mental health day or request a sick day from your supervisor. When working an hourly schedule, or if you need coverage to take a mental health day, do your best to set up a fellow team member to provide temporary support or coverage.
Last but certainly not least, your mental health is absolutely crucially important. Your mental health is a direct line to your physical health. Take your mental health day.
3. You're Navigating a Family Emergency
If a family emergency requires your immediate attention, communicate this to your supervisor. Family emergencies are a common excuse for missing work because they happen daily! Depending on your relationship with your boss, share as many details as you feel comfortable sharing.
4. Your Childcare Fell Through
This is another common family emergency—and every working parent is all-too-familiar with childcare falling through. In these cases, it might be feasible to work out a flexible or work-from-home plan for the day.
If not, your boss should understand that life happens. Again, we understand that some bosses don't understand this, which is the infuriating subject of about a million other articles.
5. You're Experiencing Car Trouble or Transportation Problems
Car trouble is everyone's worst nightmare for a variety of reasons. Breaking down on the way to work usually means you have to call out of work and start preparing yourself for a hefty car repair.
We once had a Career Contessa co-worker get in a car accident (she's ok!) on the way to work and she obviously needed the day to take care of things and herself
If car trouble prohibits you from getting to the office, communicate this to your manager or supervisor. If your car trouble started at home, it might be possible to utilize public transportation. Otherwise, talk to your boss about working flexibly while your care undergoes repair.
6. You Have a Doctor's Appointment / Dentist Appointment
Wouldn't it be great to schedule a root canal for a Saturday morning, followed by a colonoscopy? That sounds terrible, too.
Scheduling doctor's appointments, especially as we navigate the post-2020 years, is no walk in the park. If possible, try to schedule your appointments to be least disruptive—at the beginning of the day, the end of the week, or maybe during a lunch break.
If you and your physician can't make that happen (because everyone else is trying to schedule their appointments at these times, too), your boss should be accommodating to your dedication to your health.
7. Pet Emergency or Sick Pet
Anybody who has a pet knows that this is also a type of family emergency. If your pet needs urgent care, communicate this to your boss or colleagues.
8. Bereavement / Bereavement Leave
We saved this for last because it's a tricky one.
Bereavement leave typically requires more than one day off work, especially in the event of a close family member's death. Many workplaces don't have bereavement policies in place.
Instead, they typically operate under common human decency. However, anyone who has ever lost a beloved family member knows that grief and the grieving process don't stick to any set schedule.
Beyond that, there is no federal law in the United States that protects employees who need to take bereavement leave. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does not require payment for time not worked, including attending a funeral.
In the event of a loved one's passing, communicate what you can. If you have a close work friend, this might be a great time to use them as a communication conduit to your workplace.
We have much more information on taking bereavement leave in our article, The Employee + Employer's Guide to Bereavement Leave.
Last-Minute Reasons to Call Out of Work
Unexpected things come up last minute that need your attention. Here are a few reasons why you might call out of work with less than 24 hours' notice.
- Weather: Severe weather isn't worth messing with. I can remember my hometown (Portland, Oregon) having an unexpected snowstorm during rush hour that left many drivers abandoning their cars. If the weather report mentions severe weather, stay home.
- Health Emergency or Accident: I accidentally cut my finger trying to make avocado toast one morning and it required stitches and a day off work.
- Home Emergency: A pipe bursts, your shower doesn't work, your roof is caving in—whatever it is, you need the day off to fix it.
The Worst Excuses to Call Off Work
Simply speaking, anytime you lie or "stretch the truth" to call off work with short notice, you're doing yourself a disservice. It's better to say that you are feeling unwell than to create a bad excuse that requires follow-up lies.
Keep it simple rather than lying. If your boss or manager has follow-up questions, you can share what you feel comfortable divulging.
It may sound naive to encourage someone to be honest about a sick day, especially when dealing with a toxic workplace or a bad boss. However, honesty is important to building trust in the workplace. Being caught in one lie or untruth at work can damage your relationship with your boss or coworkers.
Our advice? Never fake a bad excuse like food poisoning, a family emergency, or a funeral. For one thing, it's bad karma. Beyond that, your boss might suspect you're being dishonest and look into your bad excuse. Finally, you don't want to be the "boy who cried wolf" employee once you are up against a real emergency or illness.
Instead, establish open and honest communication with your boss. In doing so, you may be able to call in sick without creating a laundry list of symptoms or providing extra proof.
1. Your 5th Grandmother Passed Away
You forgot to keep count—and your grandmother is either passing away for the 5th time or you were blessed with a lot of grandmothers. Lying about a family illness or death is a big DON'T.
2. You're Hungover from the Company Party
We all know you had a great time. Try never to over-indulge at a company party. If you do, you better show up to work the next day.
3. You Have Food Poisoning for the 7th Time
This common excuse is just lazy.
4. Your Kids are Sick (But They Look Fine in Your Instagram Story at Disneyland)
Weird, Isabel and Tommy seem like they're having a lot of fun on the teacups! If you're going to lie to miss work, be smart enough to refrain from posting on social media.
5. You Thought It Was Saturday
We don't even really know what to say about this one.
How to Call Out of Work
Life can be unpredictable, and there are times when calling out of work is a necessity. But here's the kicker: how you handle that situation can have a significant impact on your job security.
Let's discuss how to call out of work with four essential steps for communicating it.
1. Alert Your Boss ASAP
The moment you realize you won't be able to make it to work today, reach out to your boss promptly. I vividly recall a time when I woke up at the crack of dawn with a severe migraine that felt like a sledgehammer pounding inside my head.
Instead of hesitating, I immediately emailed and informed my supervisor about my condition. It might seem inconvenient, but consider this— my swift communication saved my job, and my boss appreciated the heads up.
Even if your situation occurs at an inconvenient hour, like when I had a sick child at 3 a.m., don't hesitate to send an email. Then, during work hours, take a moment to follow up with a phone call or text message to ensure that your message has been received. This extra step demonstrates your commitment to your job.
Pro tip: we have an entire list of dos and don'ts for texting your boss when you're sick and can't come to work.
2. Less Is More
When calling out of work, it's crucial to keep your message concise. You don't need to delve into the gritty details of your illness. In my experience, sharing too much information can be overwhelming and unnecessary.
A brief, direct, and clear message is all you need. Your manager and team members will appreciate the clarity, knowing why you'll be away and when they can expect your return. My personal rule of thumb: if you wouldn't discuss it with a colleague over coffee, it doesn't belong in your call-out message.
3. Honesty Is The Best Policy
Honesty is the golden rule when calling out of work. If you're feeling under the weather and need a day to recover, there's no need to exaggerate your symptoms. Remember, you're provided with sick days for a reason, and they should be used responsibly.
I once found myself in a situation where my kids had kept me up all night, leaving me sleep-deprived and mentally drained. Instead of feigning illness, I decided to be honest about my need for rest to maintain my mental well-being. Honesty goes a long way in building trust with your employer.
4. Share Updates
Last but not least, staying in touch with your company is essential when you've called out of work. If you realize you need more time off than initially thought, don't hesitate to inform your boss immediately. On the flip side, when you're on the road to recovery and ready to return, share that update as well.
This ongoing communication demonstrates your dedication to your job and your respect for your colleagues. It also provides peace of mind to your boss, who can better plan for your absence and return.
Housekeeping Items
We've given you a helpful overview of how to call out of work, however, it's important to stay updated on your company's policies and the federal program that supports your leave from work. It never hurts to brush up on the following:
- The company policy for time off (this might be included in your employee handbook)
- The company's vacation policy
- The company's sick leave policy
- The company's policy for unpaid leave
- FMLA
- Americans Disabilities Act
