10 Valid Reasons To Call Off Work

The ongoing Covid healthcare catastrophe is an unparalleled shock that is transforming the way people work worldwide. Despite some changes to job structures and safety measures put in place by employers, most employees reported feeling unsafe, uncomfortable, apprehensive and stressed at the thought of returning to work during the current post covid lockdown period compared to before. The combination of this fear of infection, general rules, and the great uncertainty associated with the pandemic created a sharp reduction in global economic activity and disrupted value chains, which negatively impacted the labour market. The sudden closure of many offices and businesses due to the Covid pandemic these past few years have ushered in a new era of remote daytime work; millions of people now work remotely. They may herald a substantial modification in how a sizeable section of the workforce operates in the future.

Regardless of if your job requires you to work full-time or part-time, come into the office, or work from home, it is expected there will be instances when you would need to call in to miss work. Typically, people plan days ahead of the day they need off from their job, but from time to time, the unanticipated ensues, and you may need to call out of your job even on days you did not intend to. It would do you a world of good to be open and candid about your position with your employer and do well to save any corroboration you need if you are required to justify your absences for legitimate reasons. Most employers expect an official email or telephone call to human resources explaining why you were absent for some days for record purposes.

Top List of Valid Reasons To Call Out Of Work

On any day when you call out of your job, it is paramount that you get in touch with your employer in a way that they are most likely to receive it. Let’s explore some situations which may establish valid reasons to call out of work.

Health Challenge

Calling in sick is a common excuse many employers do not query. Whether you are feeling slightly under the weather or experiencing a full-blown health challenge, it is best to call in sick so as not to spread a potential illness to your colleagues. The novel Covid virus certainly qualifies as a contagious infection. While the dry cough, fatigue, and fever associated with it typically go away independently without treatment, they are also highly contagious, and such illness needs to be taken care of. Employers want to keep their other employees well, so calling off work because of an illness could benefit your organization as well as assist you with recuperating from whatever the illness may be.

Even if it’s a day you work from home, there also might be times when you are just too sick to leave your bed and need to rest. Let your employer know and get some time off to take care of your health and recover from your illness. It is important to note that your employer cannot consider this as one of those bad excuses as it is a valid reason to stay off work.

Doctor’s Appointment

Other adequate clinical explanations with which one can call a day off work include injury or a doctor’s appointment for an illness that either you or a loved one under your care, such as a child, is going through. Many employers are parents who understand the necessity of being with your child despite pressure from work, especially when that child is suffering from an illness.

Inform your employer ahead of time if you have any doctor’s appointments which you need to keep. You could choose to be specific or vague about what checkup you are going in for at your discretion. A simple call would do. Remember, however, that your employer may require you to verify the appointment by providing a doctor’s note, so it is not just regarded as an excuse. It could be a great reason to get days off even until your loved one recovers from their illness.

Family Emergency

Family crises are sensible reasons to call out of work, taking the day off. A reason that can hardly be classified as one of many excuses typically refers to any unanticipated event that affects the health and safety of your family members.

On the off chance that it is not something you feel comfortable discussing due to the sensitive nature of the case, you could politely offer a vague explanation stating your wishes not to want to delve into many details. Some events you could consider as family emergencies are the birth of an infant, ongoing child care arrangement, a car accident involving a close relative, the ailment of a close relative, family member encountering a catastrophic event, death or memorial service of a relative, and any occasion that can put a relative’s emotional wellbeing in danger.

House Emergency

Now and again, house emergencies occur. They establish legitimate reasons to inform your employer about taking the day off work. House crises are typically issues that often require immediate action to safeguard you, your family, home, and your property. Examples of house emergencies include:

• house flood because of a broken pipe
• gas leak
• fire outbreak in your home
• leaking roof
• break in your house or car
• pet’s disappearance from home
• losing your house keys and have to wait on a locksmith or the landlord.

Every sensible employer would understand that this is not just some excuse to get out of work.

Personal Problems

Personal issues are important reasons to call out of work, as both employer and employee can face such problems. Personal issues impact your life outside work and range between health, money, and family issues. They are often unique to us that our colleagues may know nothing about. Personal issues could be single life-changing occasions or prolonged issues and unquestionably qualify as valid reasons to call off work. Personal problems can be something as basic as finding a babysitter at the last minute to watch your children because of the one you had cancelled on your last minute, to something more solemn like depression. Personal issues are not considered invalid excuses and are great reasons to call off work for the day.

Commute Complications

Commuting entanglements are adequate excuses for employees to take the day off their jobs, as it is, in many cases, not in the employee’s control. You can call your employer and inform them about the situation. It could be:

• punctured tire;
• dead battery;
• bus breaking down;
• train experiencing delays;
• accident on your route that resulted in congested traffic.

These are all viable reasons to call in taking some time off, especially in this era of Covid, as several issues could arise owing to Covid related issues. You should call and let your employer know you may likely not make it in at that time.

Bad Weather

Bad weather is something which affects both in-office employees and remote employees alike, and in equal measures on a workday, and while it sounds simple enough, it is indeed a valid reason to inform your boss you plan to call off work as even employers are affected by issues like this.

A remote worker could be forced to put off working for the day or some time due to the same reasons. Strong winds and heavy storms could most likely cause the remote worker to lose electricity or internet connectivity, making it impossible to work online. In times like these, the best course of action is to let your employer know and advise on what you can do in the meantime while you wait for things to return to normal.

Security threats

Security is one of the most crucial aspects a person has to look into in a workplace before joining an organization. Viable and solid work environment security is vital to any business as it reduces insurance, compensation, liabilities, and other expenses that the employer must pay to the company’s partners. One of the most common security threats faced by in-office workers that have to go back and forth work is tailgating, which is said to occur when an unauthorized person follows an authorized person into a secure area, often with nefarious intentions.

This profoundly delicate situation or any other threat to personal and property security is enough reason to call your employer seeking to take the day off work until the situation is rectified. While these social security issues do not apply to remote working environments, caution is still needed since most work is cyber-based. While the remote job has become a common practice worldwide, as it inarguably increases flexibility, improves productivity, and enhances work-life balance, there’s a downside to it – it evokes some security risks.

Mental health concerns

Emotional wellness issues are a worldwide plague. Both in-office employees and remote employees experience the ill effects of anxiety and depression. While the dark clouds usually pass without any special intervention, in some cases, they can be overpowering to the point that they thwart you from being useful. Calling off work in this situation is completely substantial and necessary.

Working from home can mean working in seclusion, which is drastically different from the usual bustling office setting. It can put employees off their game, particularly the social butterflies who feed off one another and need others around them to be more effective. Besides, tasks are regularly performed alone, and there might be more work than expected.

At last, the unending virtual meetings add to the heap. All this can cause mental health challenges which are not just mere excuses. When you’re working from home, that routine is disrupted. The line between work and home is often obscured, as there is no difference in time, which can cause employees to stay in the work mindset indefinitely, which leads to many employees overworking and start feeling some troubles.

Miscellaneous reasons

A few nonattendances do not fall into any of the above categories but could still be considered satisfactory reasons to call off work for the day, contingent on the circumstance. Sometimes, you need time from work; it could be a free day to take good care of yourself. Maybe you are worn out from work or home life, and you want a chance to make up for lost time with rest, get a few things done, or unwind. It’s perfectly acceptable to need a day for yourself and come back to work with renewed enthusiasm; you do not have to downplay this need as a mere excuse or as part of a string of excuses to keep off work. Special events, such as a child’s performance, family gathering, or another exceptional occasion are, for the most part, substantial reasons for some time away from work.

Final Thoughts

While a flexible schedule is often a part of working remotely, sometimes, it isn’t enough to help you tackle the unexpected. If one of the above situations arises, it is okay to call off work as it will give you the much-needed time to sort yourself out to come back to work feeling refreshed and ready to give it your best.