Though there are many legitimate reasons to schedule a day (or days) off of work (vacation, annual checkup, oil change), there are just as many legitimate reasons to call out of work for the unexpected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are 10 times when it\u2019s OK to call out of work unexpectedly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It could be the sniffles, a lingering cough, or you just plain feel icky. But if you wake up feeling sick (or you\u2019re at work and suddenly feel unwell), an illness is easily the top legitimate reason to call out of work<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even if you feel OK and up to working, you\u2019re better off taking the day and resting up so you can return to work healthy. If nothing else, you could be contagious and infect your coworkers!<\/p>\n\n\n\n The same goes if you have a remote or hybrid job. Just because you can work from home when you\u2019re sick doesn\u2019t mean you should. Instead, call out of work, eat some chicken soup, and take a nap, then return to work when you\u2019ve recovered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While you may be feeling perfectly fine, someone that you\u2019re the caregiver for isn\u2019t. That means you\u2019re on duty!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even when you think you can balance work with patient care, you never know what the day will bring. It\u2019s better to focus on caregiving<\/strong> instead of trying to fit in some work between taking a temperature and heating up soup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While most medical (and other) appointments are scheduled in advance, giving you plenty of time to notify your supervisor, sometimes life happens. Perhaps you cracked a tooth and need to see the dentist right now. Or, you\u2019ve been on the waitlist for a specialist, and an appointment opened today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Last-minute appointments are always a perfectly legitimate excuse to call out of work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Life can happen in unexpected ways. And when it throws a family emergency at you, you should definitely call out of work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Similar to a family illness, it\u2019s better to focus your attention on the emergency<\/strong> until it\u2019s resolved instead of trying to split your attention between work and the emergency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another type of emergency that merits calling out of work is a household one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A busted pipe, a broken window, or wind damage from last night\u2019s storm can wreak havoc on your home. Calling out of work lets you deal with the immediate damage<\/strong> and schedule the rest of the repairs as soon as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Taking the time to grieve a loss is important to your overall wellness<\/strong> and a very valid reason to call out of work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Though you might find it helpful to work during this stressful time, unless you\u2019re truly able to give work your all, taking some time away from the job is the best choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The weather can interfere with work in expected and unexpected ways, and that interference is an acceptable reason to call off of work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you commute to a job, snowstorms, flooding, and even extreme wind can make it hard, if not dangerous, to get to work. Likewise, the weather and your internet connection may not always play nice<\/strong>. If you work remotely and can\u2019t connect, calling out of work may be your only option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When a commute is part of your daily routine and working from home isn\u2019t an option, but you can\u2019t get to the job, you have a valid excuse to call out of work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, if your car dies, you may have no way to get to the office. Even when you have access to public transportation, it\u2019s not always an option (your train is stuck). Sometimes it\u2019s the roads being closed to a major accident that makes it impossible to get to work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While you likely won\u2019t have a last-minute job interview, when you\u2019re searching for a new job, taking random days off (or even a few hours here and there) can start to look suspicious. If you\u2019re concerned that your job hunting could affect your current employment status<\/a>, you can consider calling out of work to attend your job interview<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And though an interview is a valid reason to call out of work, do so carefully<\/strong>. Just like taking random days off can raise suspicion, so can calling out of work too frequently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, having a case of the Monday blahs is a very legitimate reason to call out of work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n2. Someone Else Is Sick<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. A Doctor\u2019s Appointment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
4. A Family Emergency<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
5. A Household Emergency<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
6. You Suffer a Loss<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
7. Bad Weather<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
8. The Commute Is Too Much <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
9. A Job Interview<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
10. You Need a Mental Health Day<\/h3>\n\n\n\n