25 Good excuses to miss work on short notice
Ideally, we all wish to wake up each morning when energized, take breakfast early, and later set foot in our daily routines to make the day successful. We want to arrive at our workplaces early and accomplish all the tasks assigned to us by our bosses. Realistically, this is not the case with everyone. Sometimes fatigue comes in, and it becomes difficult to wake up each morning with enthusiasm. Sometimes we also have a few chores to attend to apart from our work or have an important trip to make to someplace. When you are in such a situation, it is good to have a convincing excuse to miss work. This article presents you with good reasons to give when you want to miss work. When using these reasons, you should be sensitive and have reasons to back them up when you go back to work. You should also explain the reasons in a way to show that you were willing to report to work, but something inconvenienced you. Try these excuses and convince your employer to allow you to concentrate on other activities.
1. Sickness
Being sick is one thing that we never wish to encounter, but if we are desperate f0r some time off work, it becomes a good reason. Sickness is one excuse that people overuse because it becomes hard for one to prove whether you are sick. How can an employer doubt this reason, yet they cannot prove it? If you want to convince your colleagues quickly that you will not be reporting to work, then you can give excuses for headache, fever, stomachache, and other sorts of illness. Once you tell your colleagues that you are not feeling well, then you need to tell them that you will be back to work once you feel better. This excuse works because an average person gets sick approximately three times a year, and therefore, it never raises a suspicion. As you will be away from work because of the sickness, you should tell them how you seek an appropriate therapy to bring the condition to normalcy in the shortest time possible.
2. You are expecting a purchase delivery.
Purchasing deliveries require specific timing, and it also suffices as an excuse not to report to work. When you order something that should be delivered to you at home, you have to be around the item’s pickup point. You will tell your boss that the product you ordered is to be delivered at a given time and that you should be at a given place to receive the item. You will therefore be off work until the time when the product arrives. It would be best to tell your boss that you will resume your job once you pick up the item you ordered. In case you wish to spend much time off work, then you have to tell your boss that the item arrived at a given time and you could not report earlier. The boss knows that the product needs to be treated with urgency and will provide you with some time off work to wait for the item. The right way of using this reason is informing the boss earlier that you have ordered a product and that you will need some time to go and pick it to convince them that it is a compulsory activity for that day.
3. Your child got sick.
If you have children, then the excuse of children’s sickness might earn you some time off work. A sick child is also an excuse to miss work over a short time. Unlike adults who can quickly seek medical attention on their own, children cannot. When children are sick, they do not understand the procedures of seeking medical attention, and someone must be around to assist them. It would be best to tell your boss that you noticed that the child was not feeling well unexpectedly and had to respond to them. It would be best to assure them that you are in charge and resume work once the child feels better. It would be best if you told them the activities you are doing to facilitate the child’s well-being and the time it might take. Once you are still away from work, you should keep updating the boss of the child’s progress to leave them assured of your engagement. The boss might even add you more time off work to ensure that you address the child’s case.
4. There is a COVID-19 case where you live.
The COVID-19 pandemic is one serious problem that many people are afraid of it. One of the containment measures of COVID-19 is social distancing, and this will work well as an excuse for missing work. When you tell an employer that there is a confirmed case within your area and that no operations are ongoing, they will excuse you away from work. They understand the risks that are associated with the pandemic and how faster it might spread. After giving this excuse, then you must take a test to alleviate the fears that they must have because you were in a place where you could possibly be infected. You will back up this excuse by practicing the containment measures such as wearing masks, frequent washing of hands, and avoiding body contacts in the workplace.
5. You have an emergency at home.
Home emergencies such as electricity fixing, repair of pipes, and repairing a leaking roof are some of the reasons you might miss work. You must explain to your boss that you must address the emergency which might be posing a risk to you or the people you live with within the house. It would be best to tell them that you need to fix the emergency as soon as possible and resume work once you are done. You can back up this excuse by telling your boss that the person who is to address the emergency is available over a short time and that if you miss the appointment with them, then it will be hard to get another expert to address the issue.
6. No one is available to take care of your child.
As they say, children are a source of blessings, then indeed they can save us in some situations, especially when it comes to the workplace. The excuse of missing work to take care of your child will work if you wish to miss work over a short time. Children need a lot of care and cannot be left at home alone, considering the danger they might be susceptible to when no one is around to take care of them. When no one is available to take care of your child, then you should be available to take care of them. You need to explain that the person who has always been in charge of the child is not available for whatever reasons, and you are the only person to take over the responsibility. It would be best if you also told them that you are making arrangements to delegate the responsibility to someone and get back to work soon.
7. You are expecting visitors who will be around shortly.
Visitors are essential, and once they are around, they need someone to welcome them. When you want to miss work over a short time, you can also give the excuse of having visitors at home who will be around briefly. It would help if you even said that these visitors are new to the place and will require someone to guide them. When you tell the boss that the visitors are there for a short time, the boss will be convinced by the reason that you will not be available for a short time when the visitors will be around your home. It would be best to assure them that you will be reporting to work once the visitors leave or when someone else will be available to accompany the visitors. Once you are back to work, you will tell your employees your experience with the visitors to alleviate chances of doubt. The boss will be assured by your reason for what you were doing while you were off work.
8. You are resolving a family issue.
Family issues are also critical and require the attention of all the family members. Some family issues require prompt attention, which will be an excuse to miss work over a short time. The boss will understand that failure to resolve family issues in time might lead to more future consequences. Resolving a family issue requires your presence as one of the members, and therefore, the boss will give you some time to address the issue. Since some of the family issues require a longer time to solve, you might take the whole day off work. You need to explain to the boss the nature of the case and the possible time it might take to resolve it. The employer will be willing to allow you to be off work until you are done with the family issue. Family issues include family meetings, resolving conflicts, marriages, farewells, and other activities that bring together all the family members.
9. You are a victim of food poisoning.
Food poisoning is one serious condition that might be used as an excuse to miss work for a short time. One thing that makes this excuse work is because the employer understands that if you do not address the issue of food poisoning quickly, you will be risking your health. In the event of food poisoning, urgent medical attention is needed because of the health risks that might be associated with food poisoning. When you mention food poisoning to your boss, they will be concerned and shocked. They will be ready to give you enough time to address the condition. When explaining the case of food poisoning, you should tell them that you are seeking therapy to ensure that you resume normalcy as quickly as possible. They will know that you are concerned about returning to work, but the condition keeps you away from the workplace.
10. You have a sore back.
A sore back is also a good excuse because it might result from a strain while working, mostly when you work in an office. Some sitting positions while in office might result in a strain injury leading to a sore back. When you give this excuse, the employer quickly understands that you will not sit in an office with a sore back since you will not be comfortable to work. A sore back is a reason to give if you have been in the office for many days and want to get some time off work. If you choose to use it as a reason to miss work, you should not spend much time off work since it is a simple strain, and you should be well within a short time. You should explain how you plan to handle the sore back and resume work as soon as possible. To boost the assurance, you should tell your boss that you are planning to have therapy to avoid the sore back in the future.
11. You have a case in court
Court cases require prompt attention because the dates set by the magistrates are to be adhered to accordingly. It is hard for the court to change the hearing dates because they are handling different other cases. When you tell your employer that you have to appear in court, they will excuse you because they know that it is the only appointment you will have with the jury. The employer should also understand that missing some of these court proceedings might result in more future penalties. They should give you a humble time to address the jury and be hopeful that you will complete the case in time and resume work.
12. The tax authority will be auditing you.
Tax compliance is a solemn obligation that everyone must honor the commitment. If you are a taxpayer and want to give an excuse to miss work, you can tell the boss that the tax authorities will be auditing you. The reason works because the authorities must do all tax audits in the taxpayer’s presence. The tax audits also occur within a specific time, which will reassure them that you will not be available for work on that day. When you are given time to address the tax audit, you must assure them that you will provide all the details to ensure that the tax audit takes a short time and that all issues are ironed out to avoid future disturbances.
13. You experienced some sort of accident.
An accident is also an excuse to miss work over a short time. When using this excuse, you should specify that it is a mild accident since you want to miss work over a short time. When you tell your boss that it is a severe accident, they might end up organizing for extended leave for you. A mild accident is also challenging to prove and therefore is ideal. When you tell them of the accident, you should also specify the therapy that you are using to get back to work as soon as possible. When you want to back up this excuse, you can tell them that you feel some pain and will not be comfortable working on that day. You must show a willingness to resume work as soon as you recover from the mild accident.
14. The schools closed.
The kids might also save you if you wish to miss work for a short time. It would help if you told your manager that the kids closed their school for holidays and you have to wait for them at home. The employer will understand that you are waiting to attend to the kids at home and will give you some time off work. You need to tell them that the schools closed unexpectedly and you had no arrangements for someone else to welcome the children home. This excuse will work for some time since once the kids settle, you have to resume work as they will know how to conduct themselves at home. This excuse works because most people understand how kids will want parental presence after they have been away for a long time.
15. You are going to blood donation.
An excuse that you are from a blood donation also works if you wish to miss work for a short time. People often get tired after a blood donation and should get some rest before resuming any other activity. There are incidences where someone faints after a blood donation for involving themselves in other activities immediately. Doctors recommend that individuals take some rest after a blood donation to avoid such cases. When you tell your employer that you are from a blood donation exercise, you inflict the feeling of care since it is a voluntary activity. They will be convinced to give you some time off to rest and regain the energy you lost during the process. You should assure the employer that once you regain the energy you will resume work.
16. You are experiencing menstrual cramps
If you are a woman, then the excuse of menstrual cramps might be the best. The employer understands how painful these menstrual cramps are and will easily be convinced to give you some time off work. The excuse on menstrual cramps works for women since it is one thing that they experience monthly. When you give this excuse, you should also reassure them that you will be back to work once the menstrual cramps get better. One good thing with this excuse to women is that menstrual cramps start at any given time, and therefore, you can request for a day off work at your convenience. You should also assure them that you are willing to do other activities that might be in line with the condition. Menstrual cramps require a concern and therefore this excuse must earn you some time off work.
17. You have a toothache
A toothache might also be an excuse to give to your manager over a short notice. You must tell them that you are feeling a severe pain that makes you uncomfortable while at work and you cannot accomplish most tasks. This excuse works because you are the only one who feels the pain in your tooth. Most toothaches require an emergency visit to a dentist, and it works well with missing work. When giving this excuse, you should assure them that once the dentist attends to you, you will get back to work. Some appointments with the dentists might also take long, and this will be a good reason to explain the time you have been away from work. When you spend more time away from work, then you will tell them that the dentist took a lot of time addressing your issue.
18. Your pet got sick and needs medical attention.
Pets are also important and can save you in case you want to miss work. There is no law for an employee to get some time off work in the event that their pet is sick, but depending on your employer, some of them might give you some time to miss work to attend your pet. When you explain to your employer that your pet is sick and requires a medical attention, it will dispel their doubts as they understand how pets are important to you and that you are concerned to ensure that they get well. The places where pets are attended to in case of any sickness are also few and this reason might be good for you to take much time away from work. Pets should receive ultimate attention in the event they are sick, and this needs much time to locate the places offering these services. When your boss gives you some time off work to attend to your pet, then you should tell them of the progress of the therapy and the time that they should expect you in the workplace.
19. Your car broke down
If you usually travel to work by car, then a car break down is a good reason to give when you want to miss work over a short time. Once your car breaks down, you will not travel to work since you depend on it. You should inform the boss that you are fixing the car and will get to work while it becomes functional. Car breakdowns vary in the fixing time, and once you are returning to work, you should tell your boss that the time you were away was the time you took to fix the car. You should explain to them the nature of the problem that your car encountered and that you found an expert to address the issue. Some cars might break down at places where it is hard to access the repair services, and this will take more time to fix them. When you give this reason to the boss, then they will allow you to have more hours off work. In case you use the public transport to work, you can also give the reason of commuting problems. Commuting challenges might include impassable roads, bus break down, delay by the train, and accidents in the route you were using to get to work. You might also include problems such as bad weather that makes travelling difficult.
20. There is a community function I am attending
Community functions might also be the best excuses to miss work. Sometimes you can excuse yourself to be away from work by telling the boss that you will be away for a community function. You need to tell them how crucial the function is and that your presence is needed. You might back up the excuse by telling them of the role that you will be playing in the function. When the boss knows that you must be around for the function, they will be convinced to give you some time off work. You need to tell them the time that the community function is going to take. You also need to tell them that you wish to take the shortest time possible in the function and resume work. Community functions might include meetings, community projects such as tree planting, community awareness programs, and voting.
21. My car was used for an emergency.
Another good reason to miss work over a short time is to tell your boss that you had an emergency and you had to assist the victim by facilitating their travels with your car. An emergency might be a pregnant woman who was experiencing labor pains, and you had to ensure that she arrives at the hospital immediately. Since we are all caring and understand how desperate some situations might be, the boss will be convinced and allow you to miss work over some short time to address the emergency. You should ensure that the reason you are giving for your car to be used required a prompt response, and you had no option but to assist them. You must also show how you wished you went to work that day but got held up to assist in the emergency and that you are willing to resume once you are done.
22. You want to pay school fees for your kids.
The excuse of going to the bank to pay school fees for your kids is also viable. When you give this a reason to miss work over a short time, your boss will understand that banks have specific opening hours and sometimes the queue might belong. The boss also understands that the kids might not learn if they have not paid the tuition fees. You have to assure them that you will resume work once you are done with the fee payment. A good thing with this excuse is that if you spend a lot of time away from work, you will tell your boss that the queue was long and it took longer for you to be served.
23. There is no power at home.
Electricity is essential in accomplishing several tasks at home, and the absence of power might be a good excuse to miss work over a short time. You can tell your boss that there is no power and therefore you are unable to accomplish tasks such as ironing clothes, doing the laundry, communicating through your phone, and lighting your house. When there is no power, you have to spend much time preparing, so you will be late for work. It would be best if you described your disappointment over the absence of power and how it has inconvenienced you. It would be best to tell them that you are struggling to finish everything despite the absence of power and report to work.
24. You have a brief appointment with business partners.
Apart from normal careers, many people are in the line of business. The excuse of meeting your business partners briefly for a talk might be a reason to miss work over a short time. You will tell your boss that you have an urgent meeting with your business partners to address a serious issue. When you explain to them that the issue is serious and should be addressed promptly, they will be concerned and will allow you to miss work over a short time. It would be best if you told them that it is a short meeting to iron out one issue to assure them that you won’t take a long time. This reason works best if your boss knows that you are running a business under a partnership.
25. You want to fix your phone.
Phones are commonly used in communication devices. It is hard to report work without your phone, and the excuse of going to fix your phone might help you miss work over a short time. You need to tell your boss about the issue with your mobile phone and that you should fix it for the phone to function well. Your boss will allow you to miss work over a short time.
Conclusion
Since giving excuses to miss work is part and parcel of everyone in the workplace, we must ensure that we are smart enough to ensure that the employers do not doubt the reasons that we will give. We should be equipped with the above convincing reasons. We should also ensure that we are ready to give any additional information if the employer might want such information since some of them might be doubting the reasons we give. They should also know that you have a solution to the excuse that you give and that you were willing to report to work. You can inform your boss through email as it sounds professional or phone call or message to express the timeliness of the excuse.
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