Get Premium
Dark mode theme is available exclusively for premium users. Learn more about the benefits of subscribing.
No fees, cancel anytime.
Dark Mode 
No fees, cancel anytime 
A 2020 survey of 2,000 American workers found that 52% of them have faked an illness at some point in their lives to get out of work. Which is probably what we would automatically assume if we were to spot a colleague out and about after they called in sick. "It's just an act! The slacker is trying to fool us and get paid for nothing!" However, as with most things in life, the reality is a bit more nuanced.
Yesterday, a person who goes online by the nickname EleganceMindset made a post on the popular subreddit 'Anti Work', explaining what they believe to be the best reaction to a situation like this and why we should not inform our bosses about it. The comment section quickly turned into an extensive discussion where people have been sharing their own personal experiences, full of both bad luck and bad decisions, and we at Bored Panda thought it would be an interesting topic to explore.
After all, it's something you can't always openly discuss, for example, in your office.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
I once was a manager at a McDonald's. An employee had requested time off due to her grandfather's memorial service. I obviously granted it. The store owner was pissed because it just happened to fall one of the stores busiest days of the year. He was convinced that's why she wanted it off, not because her grandfather just died. Her next scheduled shift she storms in and turns in her 2 week notice all pissed off. I ask her what's wrong and she said that the owner had showed up in the middle of the memorial service and walked down the aisles of the church until he made sure that he saw her. Then left without saying a word. I turned in my notice shortly after.
RELATED:
#2
Had a co-worker whose kid was born with a heart issue, and whose partner left them in the immediate aftermath of the birth, which in turn necessitated selling the house they bought together
For reasons that are understandable for anyone who isn't an utter [friggin] [prick], this co-worker took some sick leave for mental health/stress issues
Another co-worker saw them posting on FB about packing up their old house in preparation for the move
[Prick] Coworker went RUNNING to our manager about it, "they're supposed to be off sick, they're posting on FB, they're looking at houses" blahblahblah
I have never conceived such an instant dislike for a human being
#3
Had a coworker who sat pretty centrally in the office so she was able to see when people came and went or we're not at their desks. Nevermind that to actually do that she had to not be doing her work. Complained to our boss all the time and then we had to explain no we were not late or leaving early, taking longer breaks etc. A few people transfered out. Boss gets a promotion not because of the tattle tail. New boss comes in seems an even bigger business school uptight prick. Turns out he is not.
His first response to the tattle tail is to check time cards, see if our work is getting done, etc. So he starts giving tattle tail extra work figuring she has time on her hands. Tells her not to worry about what others are doing that is his job. She starts going to his boss.
His boss and the new boss come up with a solution. They move her over to this cube in a corner, very little visibility to rest of the office, a window that looks out at the brick wall if the building next to us, I mean 20 feet away. Also it's an old building, heat and ac don't hit that corner so well (reason it was previously used for file cabinets, copier, fax machine. Yeah now every time she tried to tattle they would just answer "the only way you know that is if you are walking around spying, do you need more work?"
She left a year later. Had tried to transfer to another department nobody wanted her.
#4
Absolutely not.
I had this happen to me. I called in sick, went to the doctor and got a prescription. While waiting on the pharmacy to fill the prescription, I walked out into the Mall to wait for the prescription to be ready.
Some girls from work saw me and reported it to the boss. Of course, I had my prescription receipt with the date and time and a note from the doctor. My boss called these girls in at my request and told them what a mistake they’d made by “assuming” and what that made them by doing so. You know the old saying….
I once saw a guy in Wal-Mart when he was supposed to be at work. I didn’t say a word. He saw me when I saw him. He goes back and rants and raves to his supervisor. He got a lecture from the Big Boss when he went in and said he knew I didn’t like him and that he was sure I told him what had happened. I hadn’t…. Even not liking the guy, I assumed his lead had asked him to go or he was taking an approved break. Not my problem and I didn’t stick my nose into it. So, he essentially told on himself.
It’s just better not to start these games with co-workers. Besides, sometimes we need a mental day… Unless it affects you or is a habit, why spoil life for someone else. This could have been a day where something terrible happened, a break up or even something else bad. Leave it be and wish them well. You haven’t walked in their shoes… don’t assume.
TheElderNom 2 years ago
My work does not have culture of tattling, we also have strong protection via laws and union but I'm still afraid of being seen when I'm sick. Not great now when I'm long term sick for burnout and being out is good for me.
Desiree McKinnon 2 years ago
My thoughts exactly. Not my circus, not my monkeys.
Load More Replies...
#5
I had to track down a really old part for a really old computer system, so I spent the afternoon driving from one computer store to another to rummage their back rooms and scrap bins.
I'm leaving one in the mall, empty handed, and run into a guy from another department. "Hey, how's it going, blah blah blah, gotta run!"
When I get back to work an hour later I have a voicemail from way up the chain, asking why I was in the mall shopping instead of at work. I call the guy back, tell him about my little project to revive a 25 year old computer for a client, and he apologizes.
He then asks me what the other guy was doing in the mall. "I dunno sir, but he had a bag from 'The GAP'.
Busted.
#6
If I see a co-worker out of the office, I immediately turn and walk the other direction. I got to be paid to hang around those people.
#7
I was once sick with meningitis and off work on a short term disability with a doctors note saying that I had a communicable and potentially fatal disease. A co-worker lied and said they saw me at a club (but didn’t go up to said person, just saw them from far away and their similar haircut convinced my co-worker that it was me). I got called into HR when I got back about abusing sick leave and using it when I didn’t need it. I told them I had a doctors note and they started on about using paid sick leave under false pretences because someone had seen me out and about while I was supposed to be off sick. I asked for proof but they didn’t have any. I lost it and told them that it was slander to circulate unsubstantiated rumours and that HR should know better. I told them that a doctor wouldn’t write a note if it wasn’t warranted and that if I HAD come in I could have infected the whole office with meningitis which can be fatal. I could tell they still didn’t believe me but they backed off.
Corporate culture is bs. The whole movement to back to work for the “culture” can fuck right off. You mean corporate snitches and micro managing? Yeah no thanks, I’ll stay home where the most micro managing I get is from my cat who wants lunch early.
#8
I went canoeing when I should have been at work. I canoed past my boss who should have been at work having a lovely stroll on the bank.
Pointed at each other and went ehhhhhhh.
Snitches get stitches man. Or HR conversations which is much worse.
#9
Pre pandemic, the company I worked for had 5 leased buildings in a small town close to our main site. Many of these jobs including mine were office jobs, no need to have someone provide coverage during lunch, so if you wanted to duck out and run to the grocery store for a sandwich or run to the bank, you could do that, as long as you worked your hours, everything was fine.
Then we all saw an email, from a retired employee complaining about how he saw people with company badges at stores during working hours, how we should only have been allowed to leave our desks between 12 and 1, you know, when everyone else was out, essentially he wanted us all to lose our lunch time. CEO added a comment to all staff, just take off your badges before going into stores, problem solved.
#10
I let co-workers dig their own graves and bury themselves.
When COVID was in full swing, the company had a charge code specific to COVID so those who had to quarantine wouldn't burn up their leave/PTO. Several co-workers took advantage (before the company required documentation of a positive test).
One co-worker, who also had a side hustle, took advantage of it immediately but was also dumb enough to post on social media him working his side hustle (without a mask) when he was supposed to be quarantined.
It didn't take long for the project manager to find out.
I will never rat out a co-worker. I just let nature happen. :
#11
I've only said something about this one time. My mom worked as a secretary at a small remodeling company. I happened to see their work van (covered in ads for the company) parked at a liquor store. I had already heard from my mom they were having problems with an employee, so I sent her a text with a pic to let her know. Turns out, they were there buying her a bottle of port (which she loves) for her birthday. And I felt like an asshole.
Jerry Mathers 2 years ago
You were an a-hole. World is tough enough without rats trying to make other peoples lives miserable.
#12
I only got upset one time seeing a coworker out and about after calling in. She and her kids had Covid they were at Walmart no masks coughing on everything. I didn’t tell on her but I did text her she needed to stay home so the rest of us wouldn’t get sick.
#13
While in college I waitressed at a nice restaurant. Most servers were older, so on hot days typically us younger employees worked on the outside patios. One of those evenings I almost fainted. Between the heat and dehydration. I was sent home.
Laid in the AC, drank tons of water, and chilled.
Hours go by at this point and the guy I’m dating asks for a ride home from the bar. When I got there he wasn’t ready yet so I came inside and had a club soda. I’m in loungewear, no makeup, etc. The shift is over for my coworkers and it just so happens the bar and the restaurant are back to back. A few of them come in and see me and ask how I am. I explain the above, how I did what I needed to do to feel better and now I’m here to drive someone home from the bar.
I was livid that they told my boss and I had to explain again the situation. First off, we are servers so our only income is tips so it’s not like I took money from the bosses or a coworker. We also have a lot of staff and due to people wanting to sit outside, it wasn’t hard to get an inside server to take my spot.
Running through my head was “well, how many hours from when I was dehydrated would it have been acceptable for me to go back in public?”
So stupid.
#14
I once asked my boss for a day off as a new video game was coming out I wanted to play. He confirmed this was ok. I told one of the ladies in the office (who would take random days off to RUN HER CROTCH TROPHIES AROUND) and she told the boss that it was disgusting I was taking a day off for video games. He hauled me into the office and gave me a lecture about investing in the job etc. i asked him if he remembered approving the day off and he said yes.
Jan Rosier 2 years ago
What the actual F ? It is nobody's business what you do on your time off. Should not even be required to give a reason.
#15
No! I remember once I was sick for a week and just felt better on the 4th day to go out for a few hours after being in bed all week and my coworker found out and was pissed. Yeah I felt better at the end of the day to sit and chill with some friends for an hour but not well enough to go work an 8 hour shift at a back breaking job. Being well enough to for a run does not equate to being well enough for work. Not to mention a mental health day which we all need. I also called out sick to get my teeth cleaned because I had no choice
#16
These people are the worst and in my experience, they're ironically the worst workers. Happened to me once when I literally was just at the store getting electrolyte drinks so I could not feel as much like death. There's two of us that work my position so he decided to throw me under the bus. I remembered that and used a personal day two days before a big event so he had a crazy amount of work to do lol. Already had issues since I get 3x the amount of work done than him. There's no reason to tell on someone for that, especially not knowing the circumstances. ...
GirlFriday 2 years ago
I moved to a new city shortly after college and I didn't know anyone there. I became very ill. I called in sick because I had some wicked stomach illness. I was very dehydrated, but had not thrown up for a couple of hours, and I sort of got dressed and hauled myself down to the local store to buy some electrolytes and a few other things so I could get better. I called in the next day because I was still so weak and miserable, and when I got my boss on the phone, she went off on me because a coworker had seen me "out shopping" while I was supposedly "too sick to move." I explained that the only place I had gone was the closest store for crackers, Gatorade, and Immodium. She told me that if I was well enough to "go out shopping" I was well enough to come in. I stayed home that day and got better and started looking for a new job the next day and left within a week.
#17
I had a job one time and they were expecting me to "finish my job" every day, even if it meant working till 21pm (office hours normally).
So a colleague calls me at 16hr while i was jogging , and she heard I was jogging (out of breath) and she also snitched :-D
I mean I can still work after my run.
Didn't really matter since I wanted to get fired from this job, which I succeeded in eventually but still.
Ruth Hempsey 2 years ago (edited)
21pm is how I count the days too. My internal clock died years ago so I can stay awake too many hours unless I count 16 from getting up. Don't knock the clock, we're all on limited time, three score years and ten counting down... 😉
#18
While doing an internship I woke up with one eye really red and irritated, thinking it was a pink eye I called my boss, called in sick and immediately went back to sleep. I woke up a couple hours after and my eye had completely cleared. Later that day some friends invited me to a bar and off I went. Another intern from my department walked by after work and saw me. Next day the first thing my boss comments on is that I was at a bar. Dude, wtf?? That other intern was a huge asshole always tried to get credit for other people's work. He got hired, I got my contract rescinded 2 weeks before it ended for reasons nobody ever officially told me although I had good reviews.
What do you think ?
James016 2 years ago
My wife's SIL pretended to be sick for a week in her old job but went on holiday instead. Posted the pics on facebook and got found out, then sacked. She was upset her friends at work betrayed her and got her sacked. My wife pointed out that: she lied to them saying she was sick, she went on holiday and put the pics on face book. Since she had her co-workers as friends on facebook they saw it. Their schedules were changed and they had to do SIL's work during that week so of course they were angry. God only knows why she just didnt book time off the normal way
Faramir10 2 years ago
This what makes it hard for everybody. Your wife's SIL got what she deserved.
Load More Replies... Nathaniel 2 years ago
When I have been off with depression, it is not constant, you have good days, you want to get out into the open, I would feel bad about that because I was off sick. Also the firm I work for, lots of drivers and workers out and about, stopping to chat to one of the workers, trying not to look happy for being out, because, paranoia, they may report you for being happy when off sick. No one ever did thankfully. But the notion of feeling guilty of being out the house when sick? It does not go away.
MiriPanda 2 years ago
The scourge of the invisible illness... Migraine sufferers often have the same problem.
Load More Replies... Jerry Mathers 2 years ago
WTF is it with people snitching on each other? The job doesn't own you. If someone calls in sick, I always mentally add "of work" to the end. To rat someone out to their boss makes you a crappy human. Unless you own the company or are paid to monitor sick time, mind your business. Life is tough enough. It doesn't need you making it tougher.
Littlemiss 2 years ago
I worked with a bunch of absolute aholes. I was raked over the coals for taking time off after receiving a call from the doctor saying I needed an urgent biopsy. I dared to use my leave instead of going to work in a panic ridden state waiting to find out if I had cancer or not. It was one day off. They could call in sick because they went on a midweek Bender though, that was fine. Still hacks me off.
Leslie Harris 2 years ago
I don't believe in ratting out people. However, when they brag the day before that they are going to a party and planning to get super drunk, so will be calling in sick the next day, that's another story. They were taking over after my shift and called in, I ratted, I had already worked 8 hours, and they wanted me to work 2 more until the next person came in, worked as a cashier, on my feet for the whole time.
Kathryn Baylis 2 years ago
52% is a low figure. It’s closer to 100%, but 48% are maintaining their lies.
Erin Mitchell 2 years ago
Unless its something blatant, no you dont need to report it to work. Sickness is a scale. You can be too sick to go to work and do labor for 8 hrs but not too sick to go to the store for 30 mins. Why do people not realize this? Mental health is also a thing that exists.
Valisbourne Spiritforge 2 years ago
I had left work sick one day. I left around 11 am. Some member of the company management team saw me at the local Mexican restaurant reading a book and reported me to my boss as "skipping work". When my boss asked for my explanation, I explained in graphic detail the explosive diarrhea I was suffering, how I wasn't taking that home to my wife if I could help it and how I was at the table closest to the bathroom in the restaurant. (I left one hell of a tip for the restaurant when I left!) She was mortified by the time I was done and I told her if "I" ever leave sick, it's because something is actually wrong with me.
Chewie Baron 2 years ago
There was a brilliant example here in the UK in the 1980s. Guy calls in sick. But he’s seen on television in the front row of the audience at the Snooker World Championships. The front row is so close, you can almost see what they had for breakfast! He got sacked.
Barbara Skolly 2 years ago
Optics people, optics. If you call in sick stay home, even if you recover. Save yourself the heartache
deanna woods 2 years ago
I once got steroid poisoning and could barely stand up. I had to stay home for two weeks and get better. I eventually started going out everyday for a few minutes, just to get out of the house. I stayed in the car because I didn't want to get caught being out and about while sick.
Philenzortia 2 years ago (edited)
A girl at my old work was pregnant, she called in sick one day (coincidentally it was Friday) of course they gave her the day off. Later that day the entire group went to drink a beer (even our bosses went with us) and surprise! She was out with some friends going to a club. She used to fake a lot of illnesses even before being pregnant and was the worst worker. They weren’t able to fire her because of her condition but thank the universe she quit before having her baby.
James G. Currie 2 years ago (edited)
Can not fire her because of her "condition" as a proven liar? Edit: If they were worried about her being preggers, that only comes in if they fire her for reasons that can be proven to be related to the pregnancy, and lying about illnesses is not a pregnancy complication.
Load More Replies...
Tatjana P 2 years ago
My sister is the CEO of a multinational for our country. Since I listen to her stuff from work I know a lot of the rules and I know all sales sites also have to accept items for service even if they dont provide it and then send it off to the closes service and get it back for the customer to pick up at that same location. I live in a small village and was stoked when I saw a location open because I use some of their range of outdoor use products. So one day I go there to give them my item for servicing and the guy running the shop tells me ‘they don’t do service at that location’. I say ‘Don’t worry, you will’ and just put down my name and number on a post it - my sister and I share an extremely rare surname. I just turned and walked away and he was very confused. Picked it up some 6 days later and there was no charge! :-)))
Billy Allen 2 years ago
Worked at a market in Ann Arbor many years ago with a handful of bigoted homophobic mouth breathers and one is a manager. One day all four start cracking crude jokes about the owners and their being gay, really vulgar and hateful stuff. After the first few I stand up for the owners and tell them to knock it off and that's not acceptable. The manager runs in to the owners office and called me in a few minutes later. Owners proceed to fire me for talking about their relationship and refuse to hear my side of the situation in defense of them.
James016 2 years ago
My wife's SIL pretended to be sick for a week in her old job but went on holiday instead. Posted the pics on facebook and got found out, then sacked. She was upset her friends at work betrayed her and got her sacked. My wife pointed out that: she lied to them saying she was sick, she went on holiday and put the pics on face book. Since she had her co-workers as friends on facebook they saw it. Their schedules were changed and they had to do SIL's work during that week so of course they were angry. God only knows why she just didnt book time off the normal way
Faramir10 2 years ago
This what makes it hard for everybody. Your wife's SIL got what she deserved.
Load More Replies... Nathaniel 2 years ago
When I have been off with depression, it is not constant, you have good days, you want to get out into the open, I would feel bad about that because I was off sick. Also the firm I work for, lots of drivers and workers out and about, stopping to chat to one of the workers, trying not to look happy for being out, because, paranoia, they may report you for being happy when off sick. No one ever did thankfully. But the notion of feeling guilty of being out the house when sick? It does not go away.
MiriPanda 2 years ago
The scourge of the invisible illness... Migraine sufferers often have the same problem.
Load More Replies... Jerry Mathers 2 years ago
WTF is it with people snitching on each other? The job doesn't own you. If someone calls in sick, I always mentally add "of work" to the end. To rat someone out to their boss makes you a crappy human. Unless you own the company or are paid to monitor sick time, mind your business. Life is tough enough. It doesn't need you making it tougher.
Littlemiss 2 years ago
I worked with a bunch of absolute aholes. I was raked over the coals for taking time off after receiving a call from the doctor saying I needed an urgent biopsy. I dared to use my leave instead of going to work in a panic ridden state waiting to find out if I had cancer or not. It was one day off. They could call in sick because they went on a midweek Bender though, that was fine. Still hacks me off.
Leslie Harris 2 years ago
I don't believe in ratting out people. However, when they brag the day before that they are going to a party and planning to get super drunk, so will be calling in sick the next day, that's another story. They were taking over after my shift and called in, I ratted, I had already worked 8 hours, and they wanted me to work 2 more until the next person came in, worked as a cashier, on my feet for the whole time.
Kathryn Baylis 2 years ago
52% is a low figure. It’s closer to 100%, but 48% are maintaining their lies.
Erin Mitchell 2 years ago
Unless its something blatant, no you dont need to report it to work. Sickness is a scale. You can be too sick to go to work and do labor for 8 hrs but not too sick to go to the store for 30 mins. Why do people not realize this? Mental health is also a thing that exists.
Valisbourne Spiritforge 2 years ago
I had left work sick one day. I left around 11 am. Some member of the company management team saw me at the local Mexican restaurant reading a book and reported me to my boss as "skipping work". When my boss asked for my explanation, I explained in graphic detail the explosive diarrhea I was suffering, how I wasn't taking that home to my wife if I could help it and how I was at the table closest to the bathroom in the restaurant. (I left one hell of a tip for the restaurant when I left!) She was mortified by the time I was done and I told her if "I" ever leave sick, it's because something is actually wrong with me.
Chewie Baron 2 years ago
There was a brilliant example here in the UK in the 1980s. Guy calls in sick. But he’s seen on television in the front row of the audience at the Snooker World Championships. The front row is so close, you can almost see what they had for breakfast! He got sacked.
Barbara Skolly 2 years ago
Optics people, optics. If you call in sick stay home, even if you recover. Save yourself the heartache
deanna woods 2 years ago
I once got steroid poisoning and could barely stand up. I had to stay home for two weeks and get better. I eventually started going out everyday for a few minutes, just to get out of the house. I stayed in the car because I didn't want to get caught being out and about while sick.
Philenzortia 2 years ago (edited)
A girl at my old work was pregnant, she called in sick one day (coincidentally it was Friday) of course they gave her the day off. Later that day the entire group went to drink a beer (even our bosses went with us) and surprise! She was out with some friends going to a club. She used to fake a lot of illnesses even before being pregnant and was the worst worker. They weren’t able to fire her because of her condition but thank the universe she quit before having her baby.
James G. Currie 2 years ago (edited)
Can not fire her because of her "condition" as a proven liar? Edit: If they were worried about her being preggers, that only comes in if they fire her for reasons that can be proven to be related to the pregnancy, and lying about illnesses is not a pregnancy complication.
Load More Replies... Tatjana P 2 years ago
My sister is the CEO of a multinational for our country. Since I listen to her stuff from work I know a lot of the rules and I know all sales sites also have to accept items for service even if they dont provide it and then send it off to the closes service and get it back for the customer to pick up at that same location. I live in a small village and was stoked when I saw a location open because I use some of their range of outdoor use products. So one day I go there to give them my item for servicing and the guy running the shop tells me ‘they don’t do service at that location’. I say ‘Don’t worry, you will’ and just put down my name and number on a post it - my sister and I share an extremely rare surname. I just turned and walked away and he was very confused. Picked it up some 6 days later and there was no charge! :-)))
Billy Allen 2 years ago
Worked at a market in Ann Arbor many years ago with a handful of bigoted homophobic mouth breathers and one is a manager. One day all four start cracking crude jokes about the owners and their being gay, really vulgar and hateful stuff. After the first few I stand up for the owners and tell them to knock it off and that's not acceptable. The manager runs in to the owners office and called me in a few minutes later. Owners proceed to fire me for talking about their relationship and refuse to hear my side of the situation in defense of them.
You May Like Nosy Coworker Pushes Woman To Reveal Christmas Plans, Regrets It When She Hears The Truth Office Christmas Party Crumbles As Men Refuse To Step Up After Woman Says No Female Employees Have Had Enough Of Planning Secret Santa, All Refuse To Participate This Year
Viktorija Ošikaitė
Ieva Pečiulytė
Monika Pašukonytė
Related on Bored Panda
