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Hi there, I’m Jenna and welcome to Wall Street’s “Two-Minute English”. Today, I’ll give you some examples of how to call in sick at work.
Don’t feel guilty if you decide to stay home. If you’re miserable, you’ll be doing your boss, coworkers, and yourself a favor by skipping an unproductive, germ-spreading day in the workplace. Plus, you’re probably not using all your allotted sick days anyway.
If you’re worried that your boss or coworkers will think you’re faking, here’s what to do:
- Speak with a boss or supervisor on the phone—don’t send an email—as early in the day as possible.
- Make sure to apologize for the inconvenience.
- Keep the call short and to the point; your manager doesn’t need to know all the gory details.
- Don’t resort to fake coughs or talking while bent over the toilet; there’s no need to oversell it.
- Keep in mind that the more often you’re absent on Mondays and Fridays, the more suspicious it will seem.
Regardless of how conscientious you are, be prepared for a healthy dose of skepticism from your manager. He or she has probably heard every excuse in the book. When determining what to say, the best thing is to stay as honest as possible. You can talk to your boss a day before if you want to take a day off because you have already started feeling ill.
So here is an example for you: “Good morning, boss. This is Jenna. I’m really sorry but I need to take a sick day today. I’m very sick and I’m afraid of spreading germs to my coworkers and customers if I come in. I think it’s best for everyone if I just stay home and get some rest. I will be sure to see a doctor and get some medicine and as soon as I am up to it I will let you know when I will be returning to work.
Well, that’s all for this week’s “Two-Minute English”. Bye-bye.
