Have You Ever Called in Sick to Work when You weren't?

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~LaUr3n~

Have you ever called in sick to work when you were not sick? For what reasons did you do this? Did you ever get caught?

I took a poll and the result was 63% of Americans have done this. I wanted to see if Eden matched that.

EDIT:
I didn't do multiple choices in the first one. Don't vote in that one!

Answers (public voting - your screen name will appear in the results):

I have

~LaUr3n~ , Lady Venus , Tuesday , Sapphire Pet , Tori Rebel , PassionQT , joja , Naughty Student , Miss B Haven , Jimbo Jones , SydVicious , MuffysPinguLove , JEM , NightNight , Red Vinyl Kitty , Gunsmoke , Jenna.J.Ross , VieuxCarre , Annemarie , DustBunny , Illusional , Midway through , Waterfall , onehotmomma , Misfit Momma , Destri , sexysweetieshan , sexyhellokitty , P'Gell , Sanjay , Evoluchun , Fanny , DeliciousSurprise , JPito , clp , Adriana Ravenlust , Kindred , LikeSunshineDust , Alicia , SexyySarah , Alegria , Jobthingy , ToyGeek , Viktor Vysheslav Malkin , lamira , Onanist , dv8 , Taylor , Kaltir , newlady , darthkitt3n , REDRUM , Jul!a , Crystal1 , BadassFatass , ZenaidaMacroura , C4ss , AMGuidroz , Dizzykakes , froggiemoma , Peggi , GenderSexplorations , FaerieLove , MrWishyWashy , SMichelle , aliceinthehole , Pink Jewel , caligaliber , Stinkytofu10 , Allstars316 , Stagger13 , <3BF , Silverdrop , mpfm , MamaDivine , acessorie , Apirka , Beck , wrmbreze , cheesewizz , Lover of Leather , Ms. N , L&P3040 , JackRaiden , Sohotdinosaur , potstickers , Qozt , misterazor , Breas , Noelle , Hummingbird , keeweepoo , Eugler , Allison.Wilder

I have not

Sir , Coralbell , fatesrelease , usmcwife99 , Passionate Pastor , Vaccinium , toxie m , Love Perpetua , RonLee , potstickers

I have wanted to but have not

kck , fatesrelease , Airen Wolf , Envy , VampKitty , Passionate Pastor , deadpoet , sixfootsex , Love Perpetua , Lummox , Owl , RonLee , Cosmonaut

I wanted to do this today ugh!

Envy , Alicia , aliceinthehole , biancajames , Eugler

I have done it once

~LaUr3n~ , MuffysPinguLove , Red Vinyl Kitty , JPito , Kindred , LikeSunshineDust , Onanist , Mistress M. , GenderSexplorations , aliceinthehole , Stinkytofu10 , Silverdrop , mpfm , Beck , Sohotdinosaur

I have done it 5+ times

Lady Venus , Tuesday , Tori Rebel , Jimbo Jones , SydVicious , Annemarie , Illusional , Misfit Momma , sexysweetieshan , P'Gell , Evoluchun , DeliciousSurprise , clp , SexyySarah , Kimmie1980ca , Viktor Vysheslav Malkin , darthkitt3n , ZenaidaMacroura , FaerieLove , caligaliber , cheesewizz , Eugler , Allison.Wilder

I have done it 10+ times

joja , NightNight , Illusional , MsTryska , Alicia , Kimmie1980ca , Viktor Vysheslav Malkin , dv8 , Jul!a , froggiemoma , biancajames , Apirka , cheesewizz , Ms. N , L&P3040 , misterazor , Allison.Wilder

I got caught

I didn't get caught

~LaUr3n~ , Tuesday , Tori Rebel , joja , Miss B Haven , Jimbo Jones , SydVicious , MuffysPinguLove , NightNight , Red Vinyl Kitty , Jenna.J.Ross , VieuxCarre , Annemarie , Waterfall , Misfit Momma , Destri , sexysweetieshan , P'Gell , Evoluchun , Fanny , DeliciousSurprise , JPito , Adriana Ravenlust , Kindred , LikeSunshineDust , Alicia , SexyySarah , Alegria , Jobthingy , Kimmie1980ca , Viktor Vysheslav Malkin , Onanist , dv8 , Taylor , newlady , darthkitt3n , Jul!a , Crystal1 , Mistress M. , ZenaidaMacroura , C4ss , AMGuidroz , froggiemoma , Peggi , GenderSexplorations , aliceinthehole , Pink Jewel , Stinkytofu10 , Allstars316 , Silverdrop , mpfm , biancajames , Apirka , Beck , wrmbreze , cheesewizz , Lover of Leather , Ms. N , Sohotdinosaur , Qozt , misterazor , Eugler , Allison.Wilder

Yeay it's Friday!

~LaUr3n~ , kck , Lady Venus , Tori Rebel , joja , Miss B Haven , MuffysPinguLove , Jenna.J.Ross , VieuxCarre , Annemarie , Misfit Momma , sexyhellokitty , Kimmie1980ca , Viktor Vysheslav Malkin , FaerieLove , Pink Jewel , caligaliber , Beck , cheesewizz , Eugler

Total votes: 260 (116 voters)

Poll is closed

08/06/2010

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~LaUr3n~

I called in sick because my boyfriend called in sick to take me out on a really special date. He did it on occasion, but enough that staff noticed. Because we worked at the same place, it was pretty obvious. My reason for calling in sick was bad craps, which was true-but I had gone to work with them before.

Once I returned to work the next day, it was non-stop how are your cramps. They never actually said anything, and I didn't get in trouble, but it was pretty obvious that they knew. I never did it again lol.

08/06/2010

kck

Quote:

Originally posted by ~LaUr3n~

Craps or cramps

08/06/2010

Tuesday

I've done it occasionally. I consider it to be taking a mental health day.

My boss is easy going. I don't think he'd care if I told him I wanted a mental health day as long as there wasn't something critical going on at work.

Plus, I have so much sick time now that I don't rush back to work the first day I feel better when I am sick. I take an extra day. That helps recovery anyway.

08/06/2010

Tori Rebel

I've been working full time in an office for about 9 years now so I've definitely done this more than 5 times over the years. I normally do it now though when my boyfriend is home sick and I want to stay with him or something like that though. Not just to take the day off. I work in a liberal enough environment that if I need a day just to be off or get stuff done, they're ok with that and I can use a vacation day or personal day.

08/06/2010

Coralbell

I've never called in sick to work, but I did it all the time in high school.

08/06/2010

fatesrelease

I never have. I've called out from being ill but never to do anything fun. I have a super guilty conscience and wouldn't let myself live it down.

08/06/2010

PassionQT

I think I did it no more than 5 times when I was younger and wanted to go party with my friends instead of work, which was dumb actually, since work let out at 9:30pm and most people don't even start going out until later, but I was in H.S. and we started earlier.

08/06/2010

joja

I do this way too often. But I always get my work done, I swear!

08/06/2010

Naughty Student

I have done it maybe 3 times but I was either really hungover and wouldn't have been able to work OR I was feeling "meh" and could have worked but was sort of really unmotivated. I would never have been able to have a fun day I would feel too guilty as Fatesrelease mentionned.

08/06/2010

Jimbo Jones

With some past jobs I just felt like I didn't have much to do at work and I had the time built up, so I used it.

08/06/2010

Airen Wolf

(EF Review Program Mentor)

I always felt too guilty to do this...and I worried I'd get caught.

08/06/2010

JEM

It's the only time I do call in! I work with kids and have an AMAZING immune system...I would never be able to take advantage of all my paid sick time if I didn't once in awhile!

08/06/2010

NightNight

I used to do this constantly when I was in middle school and I did it ~10 times in 2 years at my first job. The thing is, when I did it it was because I was mentally miserable so I felt justified but extremely guilty. No one recognizes mental illness or anguish as a legitimate reason to call out sick but it's produced physical symptoms in me also so I always used those as my cover.

I have never called in sick to go out and do something fun instead. I already feel guilty enough when I have what I think is a good reason

08/06/2010

Red Vinyl Kitty

When I used to work outside the house, I've called in sick, and never been caught. I have done it more like 2-4 times though, and there wasn't an option for that.

Oddly enough, I called in sick once to go out to a movie, and one of the managers I usually work with saw me! Thankfully she had no idea that I was supposed to work that night though! I was so relieved (and felt totally guilty) and never called into work again. LOL!

08/06/2010

VieuxCarre

I did this a lot when I worked as a cold caller for a bunch of stuck up brokers. I hated my job and I found excuses to not go to work all the time. It was nice and I wasn't needed after a while anyway.

I haven't done that with my new job, though. I actually am content with what I do for a living and I have no reason to not go to work

08/06/2010

usmcwife99

Well ive wanted to at times, but I havent.

Back in my highschool days I never did either. Back then it was cause I needed the moeny badly, now its cuase I guess ime honest and I dont mind work to much.

08/06/2010

Annemarie

I do it all the time at school. I guess that's not really "calling in" but, it's like work.

08/06/2010

Blinker

I skip class all the time, but never work. Then again, I've never had a job, so...heh.

08/06/2010

DustBunny

Quote:

Originally posted by ~LaUr3n~

In my last job where I finally had sick time I did twice.

Once was to attend the Cherry Blossom Festival in DC. Told them I had a migraine and when I got back I was accused of a whole mess of things. Nothing they had proof of, but when you close a department and call out on a Saturday they'll always point fingers and say you lied. It was a well needed break really, the other two girls in the department(supervisor and team lead) were best friends, so they got any day off they needed. I felt great sticking it to them for once since the entire time I was there I worked every weekend and closed the bakery 5 nights a week in the casino.

The second time was semi-planned. I was leaving my job soon and needed to use my last sick day or I'd lose it. I scheduled a dentist appointment since I'd just had a root canal and needed to get my crown done. I called out really early and told them I'd cracked the tooth and had to go for an emergency crown, had my appointment well before I needed to be in and spent the rest of the day visiting my friends and family one last time before we moved away. I brought them from the Dentist saying my appointment was at 2pm, 2 hours after my shift started. Since we had a department meeting between all the kitchens the next day I was sure to give my supervisor the note right in front of everyone so no one could try to talk shit about it. It was a Thursday anyway, one of the slowest day in the casino, so they pretty much left me alone.

08/07/2010

onehotmomma

I never called in sick, because I felt so bad leaving work short handed. Until they started making me work until 11:15 at night,then have me scheduled back at 6:15 the next morning. The excuse was "nobody else would do it". They took complete advantage of me. Being union they weren't supposed to be doing that, so I started calling in sick the next morning. Mainly because I wanted to sleep, partly because I was young and had no kids, wanted to go out with my friends on the weekend. This would generally happen on Saturday night/Sunday morning.

They always knew I wasn't sick, but there wasn't anything they could do about it. Eventually they quit scheduling me back to back shifts!

08/07/2010

Envy

I have wanted to but never do. I only call out when I am sick for reals.

08/07/2010

P'Gell

I started baby sitting when I was about 10 or 11, I wrote a column for the newspaper starting when I was 13, I have worked my entire life. If I want to call in sick, because I need a Mental Health Day, I do it. At the moment, I am self employed, so I don't have that option (no sick pay, and if I don't see my clients, they may not be seen at all by anyone) But, working more than 25 years, it has been more than 5 times. Also, if you are a mother, you call in when your KIDS are sick. You go in when YOU are sick, but call in sick, to take care of them. (No sick child should be left in any kind of day care IMO.)

But, when I am working for an employer, I sure have. Not excessively, but sometimes it's nice to have a day off when you AREN'T deathly ill, too.

Some people overdo it. My dd works with a girl who calls in sick nearly every time she is scheduled. My dd has taken to not answering the phone when this girl calls, because she is always trying to get my dd to take her shift for her. That is one change about minimum wage jobs that I really HATE, expecting the one calling in sick to FIND their own replacement. When I worked retail, in High School and College, if you couldn't come in it was up to the manager to either find someone or do the shift himself. Expecting someone who is REALLY sick to have to call around, while ill is terrible. And, it also puts the other employees in a bad situation, THEY look bad, by default, if they don't work someone else's shift.

Thank God for caller ID, that's all I have to say.

08/07/2010

Chilipepper

I have too much of a work ethic, so I go in anyway and prove to them that I can't work up to speed, so they send me home. I get about an hour or two of pay, so that's better than just calling in for the whole day. And proof to them that I really am sick.

I did have to call in for a couple of emergencies - usually because I couldn't get to work because of the snow while living in Montana ...

Head Cook: What do you mean you can't get to work? It's only three feet of snow!
Me: I drive a Corsica and I live in the Sapphire foothills.
Head Cook: Aw, hell, that road won't be cleared for two days. Okay, try to dig yourselves out to keep busy.

08/07/2010

Evoluchun

I have on days the hubby wont workin to stay home and play hookie

08/08/2010

Fanny

ONly because my job SUCKED!

08/26/2010

clp

I can't remember the details of any of them. I'm sure I've tried it at least once per job, so I voted for 5. If I said I was sick, the real reason wouldn't have been far off--like I didn't feel social, or I needed 'me time', or I was upset for personal reasons. I would use it to summarize something that is either none of work's business or too complicated to get into.
When it is fun and games, I have no problem telling work why and when I am going.

08/26/2010

LikeSunshineDust

The one time I did it I was hung over... I don't count it as "sick" 'cause I knowingly did it to myself.

08/26/2010

SexyySarah

I have a couple times, but it was rare. I don't work anymore I'm a SAHM, so even when I'm sick I still have to work! lol But I never got caught before. I almost did once, I went to the mall to buy some shoes to a party I was going to and my manager was there and almost saw me! lol

08/26/2010

ToyGeek

I said that I have, but my definition of 'sick' is pretty much 'actually in the hospital and might die' -- I've worked through colds and flus and injuries and even more serious conditions, but I've also bailed with minor colds when I technically could have worked, because I just really needed the mental health day.

10/03/2010

Total posts: 67 Unique posters: 64

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