Personal illness, especially contagious types, are almost always a valid excuse to take off time off from work. Employers don't want to find themselves with an epidemic of illness spreading through the workplace because this seriously affects operations and productivity.
The best last-minute excuses to miss work include personal illness, family emergency, doctor's appointments, child care, mental health challenges, death of a loved one, and household problems. In fact, any unforeseen circumstance that requires your attention is among the best last-minute excuses to miss work.
Making excuses can almost always be traced back to one emotion: fear. Fear can come in many forms. Perhaps you make excuses about going after your dreams because you're afraid of failure. You may make excuses about your weight or your health because of self-doubt and lack of confidence.
Vacation time and sick time are easiest to understand, but what is “personal time?” In most companies, personal days are yours to use for time off from work however you like each calendar year. You could use them for moving, longer medical appointments, or a family emergency.
You can simply say “I have the flu” or “I'm not feeling well.” However, if you are missing work due to illness, keep in mind some employers will require you to bring in a doctor's note to verify the merit of your absence. Contact your employer as soon as possible.
“I'm feeling sick.” This old excuse never fails. ...
“A work thing came up.” Totally believable. ...
“I have surprise family coming into town!” Bonus points if you play it off like you're dreading this and would much rather stick to your original plans with them.
1) Create an excuse that is SO unbelievable, people are too baffled to question you. If your story is strong and has no factual mistakes, people simply cannot prove you otherwise. ...
You can use a personal day for various reasons, such as voting, attending a doctor's appointment or handling a family emergency. More and more companies are offering paid personal days as an added benefit to their salary packages, so it's important to understand when you should use these days off.
Plan What You're Going To Say. It seems like an obvious tip, but in the moment, if you're nervous about what you're asking for, any preparation you've done will come in clutch. ...
The stigma of calling in “just for a headache” keeps many employees from seeking treatment or being honest about why they can't make it in. According to employment law and the federal government, though, migraines count as a serious illness. In some cases, they may even qualify as a disability.
Make an excuse that someone in your family is ill, injured, or been in an accident. Or, say you can't find childcare or need to take a relative to an appointment. Alternatively, say there's been a household emergency, like a burst pipe, gas leak, or break-in.
While everyone thinks about personal illness as their go-to excuse for missing work, an illness in the family is just as good of an excuse. Anyone who's had to care for a sick child knows that it's a full-time job.
I was wondering if I could take off [date] from [time] to [time] for [reason]? I can still work [date] from [time] to [time], and plan to [what you plan to do to make up for missed time]. However, if you think it makes more sense for me to take the entire day, happy to do that as well.
“Hi [Manager Name], so sorry for the last-minute text message, but I've had an unexpected illness come up, and I will have to take a sick day tomorrow. I've contacted [Name], who will be able to cover my shift in my absence. I hope to be better and able to work the following day, and will confirm with you tomorrow.
A death or the funeral of an immediate or extended family member. A natural disaster or other external danger that puts a family member's life or livelihood at risk. A threat of other emotional or physical damage. Anything else that may cause trauma or detriment to a family member.
