I'm sick and I need the day off

The next time you pick up the phone to call in sick to work and you aren't really sick, remember that you aren't alone. According to a survey by CareerBuilder.com, bogus excuses have been used by 32% of workers in the past year. That is down from the 43% who claimed they did that in 2005.

They don't believe this is because workers have begun to feel guilty for that "illness" they suddenly aquired but rather because more companies are moving to a system of PTO, paid time off. The most popular reason for the bogus sick day according to their survey is still R&R but personal errands, doctor's appointments, family plans and housework are some of the other popular reasons. In the recent survey, 27% of employers said that they had fired an employee for calling in sick without a legitimate excuse.

It may be the fear of being fired that has led some to be very creative with their excuses though. More than 41% of managers said that they have received suspicious or unusual excuses in the past and when asked to share some of them, well, they are interesting.

1. Employee was poisoned by his mother-in-law.

2. A buffalo escaped from the game reserve and kept charging the employee every time she tried to go to her car from her house.

3. Employee was feeling all the symptoms of his expecting wife.

4. Employee called from his cell phone, saying that he was accidentally locked in a restroom stall and that no one was around to let him out.

5. Employee broke his leg snowboarding off his roof while drunk.

6. Employee's wife said he couldn't come into work because he had a lot of chores to do around the house.

7. One of the walls in the employee's home fell off the night before.

8. Employee's mother was in jail.

9. A skunk got into the employee's house and sprayed all of his uniforms.

10. Employee had a bad case of hiccups.

11. Employee's horses got loose and were running down the highway.

12. Employee was hit by a bus while walking.

13. Employee's dog swallowed her bus pass.

The next time I think I am going to call in sick for a bit of R&R at the beach, I will remember a few things......... be creative but believable in my excuse. While I'm on my way to the shore in North Carolina, I will avoid occupying the same bedroom in any public inn, hotel or boarding house for any immoral purpose ( a Class 2 misdemeanor) and give up any thought of detouring to shoot a whale while cruising the sideroads in Tennessee. I am only guessing but I think arrest would ruin my "sick" excuse.