Workplace: Lateness at Work

• 15 excuses for calling in sick - http://channels.netscape.com/careers/package.jsp?name=careers/pm/15sickexcuses
• A recent survey says 43% of workers called in sick during the last year when they weren't sick. This is up from 35% in 2004. 23% of workers did this to catch up on sleep, 16% said it was for a doctor's appointment, and 9% said it was for running errands.
• Wednesday most popular day for well people to call in sick
• Managers watch more closely when people called in sick on Monday or Friday, and managers are more willing to fire workers if they fabricate an excuse to avoid work

• http://channels.netscape.com/careers/package.jsp?name=careers/pm/lateexcuses - Top 10 excuses for running late to work
• 10% of workers are late to work once a week, and 24% are late to work once a month.
• Most workers blaim traffic, and 10% blaimed getting their kids ready for school. Other popular reasons include misplacing keys and falling back asleep.
• Only 30% of managers are willing to allow lateness if quality work is still completed on time.
• 10% of hiring managers would consider firing a worker for being late just once or twice a year, and the number jumps to 20% of hiring managers if a worker is late three times in a year.

• How To Fire An Employee
• Tardiness

• Late To Work

Add your favorite reason for being late to work below:

1. I dreamed that I was fired, so I didn't bother to get out of bed.
2. I had to take my cat to the dentist.
3. I went all the way to the office and realized I was still in my pajamas and had to go home to change.
4. I saw that you weren't in the office, so I went out looking for you.
5. I couldn't find the right tie, so I had to wait for the stores to open so I could buy one.
6. My son tried to flush our ferret down the toilet and I needed to tend to the ferret.
7. I ran over a goat.
8. I stopped for a bagel sandwich, the store was robbed and the police required everyone to stay for questioning.
9. A bee flew in my car and attacked me and I had to pull over.
10. I wet my pants and went home to change.
11. I overslept
12. My dress I wore this morning got caught in the door as I was getting out and it rip and I had to go home to change my clothes so that I could come to work

• "I'm too drunk to drive to work."
• "I accidentally flushed my keys down the toilet."
• "I had to help deliver a baby on my way to work." (Employee was not in the medical profession.)
• "I accidentally drove through the automatic garage door before it opened."
• "My boyfriend's snake got loose and I'm afraid to leave the bedroom until he gets home."
• "I'm too fat to get into my work pants."
• "God didn't wake me." (Employee didn't believe in alarm clocks and thought a higher power would wake her when she was ready.)
• "I cut my fingernails too short, they're bleeding and I have to go to the doctor."
• "The ghosts in my house kept me up all night."
• "I forgot I was getting married today."
• "My cow bit me."
• "My son accidentally fell asleep next to wet cement in our backyard. His foot fell in and we can't get it out."
• "I was watching a guy fixing a septic pump, fell in the hole and hurt myself."
• "I was walking my dog and slipped on a toad in my driveway and hurt my back."
• "My house lock jammed, and I'm locked in."
• "I don't have enough sick hours left, so I'm calling in dead."

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