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Gargaro's World: What's Your Excuse?

By Kyle Gargaro
February 2, 2009

Everyone has called in “sick” to work even though they were perfectly able to attend. Well, everyone but me. I love my job more than life itself and would never want to miss a day (had to throw that in there in case the bosses are reading).

According to a careerbuilders.com annual survey on absenteeism, 32 percent of the workers surveyed said they called in sick even though they felt well last year. Even more staggering, 10 percent admitted to doing it three or more times.

The best part is that careerbuilders.com shared some of the unusual excuses that hiring managers had heard. Check some of these out:

• Employee was poisoned by his mother-in-law.

• A buffalo escaped from the game reserve and kept charging the employee every time she tried to go to her car from her house.

• Employee called from his cell phone, saying that he was accidentally locked in a restroom stall and that no one was around to let him out.

• Employee’s wife said he couldn’t come into work because he had a lot of chores to do around the house.

• Employee’s dog swallowed her bus pass.

• A skunk got into the employee’s house and sprayed all of his uniforms.

• Employee was sad.

I am sure our contractor readers have heard a few good ones. Please share the most outrageous excuse you have ever received from an employee.

Share This Story

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Headshot gargaro kyle
Kyle Gargaro is Editorial Director & Associate Publisher of The ACHR NEWS. He can be reached at 248-244-1720 or kylegargaro@achrnews.com. Gargaro has been with The ACHR NEWS since 2004, first as Legislation Editor, then Managing Editor, and now as Editorial Director & Associate Publisher. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism.

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