When you call in sick, bosses generally think about workload coverage, your reliability, and company policy, often feeling understanding if it's a rare occurrence but getting annoyed if it seems like an abuse of leave, especially if you're a key employee or have a pattern of absences; they need to know how long you're out and what needs doing, but don't usually need graphic details, valuing professionalism and honesty.
A company can not punish you for calling in sick, nor is it your responsibility to find someone to cover your shift. When running a business, it should be expected that on occasion your employees may be unable to work due to illness, family emergencies, etc. A company can not ``force'' you to work.
The biggest red flags at work often center around toxic leadership, poor communication, and a high-turnover culture, signaling deep issues like micromanagement, lack of transparency, burnout, and disrespect, where problems are normalized and employee well-being is ignored in favor of short-term gains. Key indicators include managers who don't support staff, excessive gossip, broken promises, constant negativity, and environments where speaking up feels unsafe or pointless, often leading to high employee churn.
The quick answer to this question is no, you cannot fire someone for calling in sick to work. However, if a member of your team is repeatedly off sick, or you spot recurring patterns in their sick leave, there are things you can do — including disciplinary action.
Dear (Boss's Name), I wanted to inform you that I am not feeling well and will be unable to come into work for the next few days. I have (mention the specific illness or symptoms, if comfortable doing so, eg, flu-like symptoms, stomach flu).
Depending on your workplace culture, it may be acceptable to call, email or send a text when you plan to take a sick day. Faking illness to stay home is not advisable and could result in employment being terminated.
Fundamentally, if an employee lies or even exaggerates an illness or injury and relies on this in order to 'pull a sickie', this is potentially grounds for dismissal. This is on the basis that it amounts to a breach of the implied term of mutual trust and confidence within the employment relationship.
Five key signs of work-related stress include physical symptoms (headaches, fatigue, sleep issues), emotional changes (irritability, anxiety, mood swings), cognitive difficulties (trouble focusing, poor decision-making), behavioral shifts (withdrawal, increased substance use), and performance decline (lower output, errors, procrastination). These signs often manifest as a persistent feeling of being overwhelmed, leading to physical tension, mental fog, and strained relationships at work and home.
You're generally not required to give detailed reasons when calling in sick. A simple statement that you're unwell and unable to work is enough in most workplaces. However, your employer may ask for a doctor's note if your absence is extended.
Many words that scare human resources fall into clear categories: Legal and sensitive terms: “harassment,” “discrimination,” “lawsuit,” “retaliation.” These words trigger legal and compliance concerns because they suggest unresolved, serious workplace issues.
The "3-month rule" in a job refers to the common probationary period where employers assess a new hire's performance, skills, and cultural fit, while the employee learns the role and decides if the job is right for them; it's a crucial time for observation, feedback, and proving value, often with potential limitations on benefits until the period ends. It's also advice for new hires to "hang in there" for three months to get acclimated and evaluate the job before making big decisions.
Here are the 10 biggest interview killers to be aware of:
It's easier for prospects to read and reply to texts than it is to get them to take phone calls or reply to emails. That's why your sales teams will have a higher chance of getting a reply via text than any other medium. On average, it takes 90 seconds to respond to a text – and 90 minutes to respond to an email!
Overly busy or stressed appearance. Negative body language. Lack of empathy. Lack of constructive criticism. Unpredictable reactions.
The advantage of an sick leave email or text is that it's easier to keep your message brief. Unlike a phone call, you can avoid being drawn into an unnecessary discussion about the nature of your illness.
Burnout is a state of complete mental, physical, and emotional exhaustion. If you are experiencing burnout, you may notice it is difficult to engage in activities you normally find meaningful. You may no longer care about the things that are important to you or experience an increasing sense of hopelessness.
Physical signs of stress
There's no strict legal definition of excessive sick leave, it's all about patterns and impact. However, it typically refers to either frequent short-term absence or a long-term absence with no clear return date. For example: An employee is off sick repeatedly often on similar days.
The five generally accepted fair reasons for dismissal are Conduct, Capability/Performance, Redundancy, Statutory Illegality (breach of statutory duty), and Some Other Substantial Reason (SOSR), all requiring a fair process including investigation, warnings (usually), and opportunity for the employee to respond. These cover an employee's behavior (misconduct), ability to do the job (performance/health), the job no longer existing (redundancy), legal restrictions (losing a license), or other significant business reasons like irreparable personality clashes.
If you feel an employee is calling in sick too often, you can absolutely discipline them in line with your company policy on absenteeism—for example, by having human resources give them a written warning, which you keep in their personnel file, or making them ineligible for a performance bonus.
The most believable excuses are short, specific, and tied to legitimate responsibilities or unavoidable situations. Examples include sudden illness, a medical appointment that couldn't be scheduled outside work hours, urgent family needs, or car/transportation issues.
“I'm not feeling well, I'm not going to be able to make it in today.” Don't explain past that. That's all your supervisor needs to know. The more notice you can give, the better. If you have work email, send a confirmation email to your supervisor and whoever else you are required to notify.
Yes. If you are extremely sleep deprived to the point that you can't function safely or effectively, it's a valid reason to take a sick day. Being awake for 20+ hours impairs you similar to alcohol intoxication.