Sniff. Cough. Are you really sick—or do you just need to take a day off? It’s OK—nearly a third of the workforce has done the same within the last year. (And yeah, I’ll admit I’ve taken a “mental health day” or two myself—sorry, former bosses.)
But there are some rules of the call-in-sick game. First, call your boss, don’t text. Don’t do it on the day of a big project or deadline. And seriously, don’t use any excuse that even remotely resembles one on this infographic. Besides the fact that no one will ever believe that your brother-in-law was kidnapped by a drug cartel, many bosses have called to check on an employee after she’s called in sick—and 15% have fired someone for doing so without a legitimate excuse. (How’s that for motivation to get out of bed?)
Here are all the stats you need to know before the next time you call in “sick.”
