Do you ever call in sick when your not?

Appleness

I just wanted to know if there were other people out there that called in sick every now and again when they weren't really sick?
I'll admit I have done it on occasions. Times when I've felt really crappy but probably still have gone in to work or when I've had a rental inspection and wanted the day before off the clean everything up but forgot to book it for annual leave?
99% of the time I feel a bit guilty. But I can't actually take time off for a holiday because there's no one to cover my work.

Does anyone else do it and do you feel ok doing it once in a blue moon?

Glucocorticoid

I just did it yesterday.

DFWTT

I just did it yesterday.

Me too. Doesn't everyone?

lisapisa1

I just don't have it in me to take a day off unless I'm actually sick. Even when I'm sick I try to work that day and request the next day off so I don't have to call out. I hate the people at my work who call out and when everyone knows they aren't sick. They abuse the system and make other people look bad when they really do have to call out for valid reasons.

Snow__White

ive done it

qtiekiki

Let's just say my boss does it because he said we don't get paid for the excessive sick leaves. =P

MFPAddict

Kind of.

Called off Tuesday because I was sick of work!

mandasimba

More often that actually being sick... though a lot of those were probably substance related

zinok

I honestly have a really hard time calling in sick, even if I am sick. I always worry they will think I'm lying and being lazy.
When I was a child I would fake being well when I was sick so I could still go to school.
...
I'm odd. I wish I was capable of it though.

PunkyRachel

Yea, but only a few times over the years. I hate calling in, I even work sick most the time.

Hernandeak11

I did it all the time at my old job! only about 25% of my 'sick days' i was legitimately sick!

I love my new job, and it really hurts everyone else if someone were to call in--so even if I was sick, I'd probably suck it up!

JBsCrazyGirl

If i have to call in and I am not sick, it's usually called a "personal day"

cjpg

Call me crazy, but I thought of it as a rite of passage into the workforce to do this at least ONCE in your life.

I personally don't, but I have when I hated my job. Now I'm at a job that depends on my input so when I'm at home I'm usually working online when I can. That's the thing with IT - can't escape from it. Especially if it's all virtualised - you literally have no excuse anyway lol.

LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo

I did it many times before in my old jobs but now I can't because my immediate superior happens to be a Director & is the son of the CEO.

lyxus

I don't - It's a privilege that will be taken from us if we abuse from it !

comet_wow

Never! I can't abide working beside people who call in sick when they're not. Just puts extra pressure on their co workers and costs the employer financially.

Rosalindgr

not too often, but when I do call out its usally a mental break needed, i'm sick of something : )

misskerouac

Never.

My work is small, if one of us is away it makes it a lot harder for everyone else. We like each other (mostly) even though we don't always like our job, so calling in sick knowing you are adding stress to someone (who you actually like and respect) just isn't kosher in my books.

TheRoadDog

Rarely, but I have.

EmCarroll1990

When I was younger I did, when I actually started to pay bills and actually need my job, then I stopped. I get vacation time, so I'll just use those days spread out rather than all at once.

fteale

Being a parent - no. I can't rest even when I am really sick (temp 39, throwing up) I still have to do the school run, all the cooking, all the housework. I don't get sick days. Ever.

ItsCasey

Nope. The only time I call in sick is if I have a fever. But things are pretty laid back where I work. If you wake up one morning and don't feel like coming to work, you just call in and say "I'm taking a PTO day." As long as it doesn't interfere with meeting deadlines or keeping the office running smoothly (e.g. there has to be at least one person in each department to handle "emergent" phone calls), no one cares.

42kgirl

When I had a real job, I took a few mental health days. Now, there is no one to cover for me at 4am. I go in sick, I go in ice storms (I live in the south), I go if my kid is sick. I have gone straight from the ER to work on two occasions. It kind of sucks, but I only work 3 days per week.

fbmandy55

I have had too recently but typically no. I get 10 vacation days a year as of now but being one of two employees for this company, my boss rarely approves them. The only time she has approved them is when my son had surgery or when I have doctors appointments.

She has denied me going on family vacations because she "would prefer me to take one or two days at a time rather than full weeks". I understand I am the only person to open and close the office daily but it's not my problem that we don't have a way for me to take vacation days.

On the flip side, the end of the year I get a check for my unused days, which is nice, but I would rather be able to take days when I need to.

kvissy

Absolutely, they're called "Mental Health Days!"

Of course they shouldn't be abused by my company is ok w/ 5 personal/sick days out of the year (on top of vacation time). I've taken 1 this year due to going a bit too hard the night before w/ a mixture of a ridiculous week w/ no sleep and crazy exercise!

sjohnny

Do people really have a problem with this? I figured everyone did this.

I don't do it often but I don't feel a bit bad when I do.

I get 8 hours/month of sick leave and 12 hours/month of vacation time. I have hundreds of hours banked between the two not counting comp time and holiday time. If I've got the time I don't have a problem using it.

ItsCasey

I get 10 vacation days a year as of now but being one of two employees for this company, my boss rarely approves them. The only time she has approved them is when my son had surgery or when I have doctors appointments.

She has denied me going on family vacations because she "would prefer me to take one or two days at a time rather than full weeks". I understand I am the only person to open and close the office daily but it's not my problem that we don't have a way for me to take vacation days.

This is the kind of thing that pisses me off. My first job out of college, my boss was the same way. We got a week of PTO days for each year we had been with the company (so yeah, no PTO days at all in your first year, then only 5 for your second year), plus 5 "sick days" each year, which could only be used if you or your child were sick. Unused days could not be carried over to the next year, nor did we get paid for them if we didn't use them. But still, we would be questioned extensively anytime we dared to request time off. It was infuriating.

I just don't think it's any of my employer's business where I am or what I am doing on my vacation days. Fortunately, my current boss is one of the nicest men I've ever met, and in 4 years of working for him, he's never denied my request for PTO or even asked me why I needed time off.

vaderandbill

I earn sick time but don't get reimbursed for it when if I leave so if I feel like using a day to do something else then I do. But I don't do it to avoid completing tasks. Also, I usually know a day or two before I'm going to do this so I tend to finish things ahead of schedule so my "sick day" doesn't screw anyone else.

cgrout78

mental health day...so yes.

shannoninBC

Of course, we get 12 personal days a year and dang it I'm using them.

ItsCasey

Do people really have a problem with this? I figured everyone did this.

I have two problems with it: the lying and the fact that a lot of people are really selfish and do not care at all that their unplanned absence is going to put pressure on other people who were unprepared for it.

I hate having to wonder if a subordinate is lying to me when they call in sick. I understand that people get overwhelmed by work, by family, by life in general, and they may need a day off even if they aren't actually sick. I'm down with that. Just don't lie about it. It doesn't exactly give the impression that you care a whole lot about your job.