How to Apply for Sick Leave When You Want to Take One Day Off

Everyone needs to have days off from time to time to relax their mind, without any plans. But unfortunately, your agency won’t appreciate this spontaneous act even if you have a good reason. Fortunately, you still have a plan of action in this situation: call to ask for sick leave. Obviously this is not a method you can use too often, but you still get the day off you need. To apply for sick leave, you have to convince your co-worker that you really felt sick the day before, then call your boss and show that you really regret staying home and mention your illness. but don’t exaggerate the issue.

Table of Contents

Call

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Call your boss or supervisor early in the morning. Don’t delay. The sooner you tell your boss, the better. In addition, you will often have a louder voice when you first wake up, helping to increase the credibility of your words. Plus, if you call early, you’ll often be directed to your boss’s voicemail or will meet your boss when he’s out of pocket. If you call too late, you may be seen as someone who doesn’t take your boss’s feelings seriously.

Let’s be very brief. While understanding your “sickness” can help you feel well prepared, you should remember that these stories are still embellishments made up by liars. Don’t go into too much detail, just say you don’t feel well and won’t be able to come. Just give enough information for your boss to believe you, like saying “I’ve been up all night” or “My stomach is in serious trouble.”
You can also say something similar to “I know I should have reported it by the end of yesterday, but I still hope I can work it out.” But without being too obvious, mention how much you really wish you could go to work.

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Make sure you look sick. While you shouldn’t be overly pretending when you call your boss, pretending to be tired doesn’t hurt if you really seem sick. In addition to your loud voice when you call early in the morning, you can sneeze or cough every now and then to let your boss think you’re sick without having to overreact. You can also speak slower or softer to show that you don’t have enough energy as usual. Practice making your voice more persuasive.

If you want your voice to sound a little louder, you can scream into your pillow for about 10 seconds or do so before making a phone call. But your throat can hurt, so be sure it’s worth it.
You should also show a little disinterest and disorientation. If you’re too sharp and quick to answer any of your boss’s questions, you’ll have a hard time convincing yourself that you’re the sick one.

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Be prepared for questions. What if your boss is the nosy type? Try to imagine what kind of questions he or she might ask. For example, if you work in the food service industry, your boss will probably wonder how you got infected. Or your boss might ask if you’ve tried everything you can to feel better and be able to go to work. The best course of action is to say that you are contagious, and that you have tried every possible method (pain relievers, antacids, drinking lots of water, etc.)

Casual refers to the fact that you have called your doctor’s office and are waiting for them to confirm your appointment because they are full. During the peak of flu season, it can take several days to schedule an appointment to see the clinic. If your boss asks for a confirmation after you return to work, you can always say that the appointment has to wait until next week. That’s enough time for you to see a doctor.

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End the conversation with a happy atmosphere. When you’re done talking to your boss, try to leave as positive an impression as possible. You can say that you’ll work hard to get back to work the next day and your boss will probably sympathize. Show commitment to work and eagerness to return to responsibilities without overdoing it. Let your boss know you’re really sorry for taking the day off, not saying you couldn’t wait longer to watch TV and neglect work.

You can tell your boss that he can call anytime he really needs your help. If you’re willing to be bothered on fake sick leave, you can say, “I’m going to lie down all day, so if your boss needs to ask me anything, just call me…” But only say that if you think your boss wouldn’t really know what to say without you.
End the conversation by thanking your boss for your concern.

Unity Acting

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Act according to the scenario where you get sick when you go back to work. Don’t go back to work looking perfectly healthy. Act like you’re still recovering from an illness. Blow your nose a few times or cough lightly. You don’t have to act too deep or pretend too much like a philanthropist for getting back to work. Don’t mention your illness and let people ask about your illness. You should reduce the problem to a realistic level, saying, “I don’t feel tired anymore, really” or, “I just need one more good night’s sleep and I’ll be fine.”

If you want to look even more realistic, don’t sleep too much the night before your return to work to look haggard and worn out. It will be persuasive the next time you ask for sick leave again (and you have a reason to stay up late).
Behave a bit self-contained during the workday after sick leave. Don’t be more friendly or constantly chat with colleagues, refuse even the invitations. Remember that you still need to “stay healthy”.

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Don’t tell a coworker that you pretended to be sick. You might assume that you’re close with them and they’ll never expose you, but you should still be careful when you say you pretended to be sick. Your co-workers won’t respond to you, they’ll think you’re irresponsible or that you’re too annoying. Plus, if your co-worker repeats what you say and tells your boss, not only will you get in trouble, but you’ll never be able to pretend to be sick again.

Moreover, when you call to ask for a leave of absence, pretending to be sick also makes your boss doubt whether you will be really sick next time. You don’t want to have to fend for yourself for the rest of your job.
It’s true that we all need a day off from time to time, and that’s nothing to condemn. But that doesn’t mean you should brag or you’ll be seen as not taking your work seriously.

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Be friendly with your boss. After calling to ask for sick leave, you should be friendly with your boss after you leave for work. You don’t need to mention that you’re sick or thank your boss for being understanding, but you should work with a positive attitude and send positive signals your boss’s way. Let your boss remember what a great employee you are and leave no doubt in his mind that you may have lied.

You don’t have to exaggerate your friendliness or constantly say how much you love your job and how it gives meaning to your life.

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Be productive. When you return to work after faking illness, you should take it one step further. It won’t be the day for you to be an hour late or talk on the phone for up to 2 hours or book tickets for your next trip. Instead, you should work hard all day, respond to emails quickly, and do whatever you can to show you’re making a good impression.

You may need to explain to your co-workers when you leave for work, but it’s a good idea to tone it down and be positive once you return to work. You shouldn’t let your boss hear you complain after you’ve had a day off.
It’s okay to pretend to be sick from time to time, but if you make it a habit of neglect, your job could be in jeopardy. Try to be as positive as possible after you return to work.

Prepare to Call

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Choose an appropriate time. You may think that every day is the right day for you to pretend to be sick, but if you are really determined to pretend to be sick, then you should invest more thought. If you choose the wrong day to pretend to be sick, it will be difficult for you to choose a compelling reason for yourself. Instead, make sure that the difficult problems are within your reach before proceeding with the master plan. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Be prepared to have a more compelling reason if you call to take the day off on Monday or Friday. Your boss will have a hard time believing you’re actually sick all weekend.
Make sure you haven’t been sick recently or taken days off.
Don’t pretend to be sick right after you’ve had an argument at work or have grumbled a lot. You don’t want your boss to see your pretending to be sick as an insult. Your excuse for being sick will be more convincing if all is well and going well before your last day at work.
Try not to take a break on a particularly uncomfortable workday. If your boss knows that you hate those dreaded monthly meetings, then you shouldn’t pretend to be sick on that particular day, no matter how nice it feels to be on vacation.
Try to pretend to be sick when someone at your office is sick too, or during flu season. This way, your boss won’t be suspicious, because everyone is sick.

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Stop some basic work. If you’re planning on taking sick leave, it’s a good idea to try to appear tired the day before but not too obvious. Don’t pretend to cough all day, just show some discomfort and maybe sneeze a little, let a coworker ask if you’re feeling too tired and you’ll dismiss it. Act like you’re sick, but deny that you’re okay so co-workers won’t suspect that you’re faking it. Building this foundation the day before will make things sound more convincing when you leave the next day.

Should be more reserved on that day. If you still have excess energy the day before and then take sick leave the next day, people will be surprised. Turn down invitations to lunch or an after-work drink before you take the day off.
Try to “gently” take fever-reducing pain relievers when around co-workers.
Stay quieter than usual.
If you’re having lunch with a coworker, don’t eat all the food, you won’t look very appetizing.
Looking a bit shabby that day. Let your hair be a bit messy, don’t wear too beautiful clothes, it’s okay to see a little fatigue around the eyes.

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Understand your illness. While your boss won’t ask too many questions, it’s important to know what’s causing you to be sick before you call. Instead of just saying that you don’t feel well, saying that you have a headache, stomachache, or a common cold will make your evidence more convincing. You should be prepared to answer questions your boss might ask, like when did you start to feel tired, when did you return to work, and if you went to the doctor. You shouldn’t answer in a way that sounds uncertain, or your boss will suspect that you’re faking it.

If you want to take multiple days off, choose a valid reason for illness. Having a severe migraine or gastritis can give you at least two days off, as these illnesses can last a long time and come back at any time. Pink eye or strep throat may last longer. Whatever reason you choose, do your due diligence so you can discuss your symptoms clearly.
You can even practice talking with a close friend to be sure you can succeed. Your boss probably won’t want to go into the details of what happened to your stomach or throat, but it’s better to be prepared.

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Prepare to rest at home. Don’t pretend to be sick and then go hiking with your wife or go to a party with friends. If you pretend to be sick and actively participate in outside activities, this will reach your boss. Instead, you should call to ask for sick leave when you really want to rest in bed, walk around the house and relax — do the same thing you would if you were really sick, just get rid of the feeling. It’s okay to be sick.

Besides, if you spend your sick day outside and come back to work with sunburned skin, it raises suspicion.
When you’re applying for sick leave, it’s better to get rid of all those social media sites you frequent on your “sick days.” So your boss won’t be able to stumble across photos of you hiking while you’re supposed to be sick or leave comments that make others doubt your perfectly normal health.

Advice

Try not to ask for too much “sick” leave on Monday or Friday – an extended weekend will draw attention to your boss and co-workers. Calling on a third day would make more sense. Likewise, don’t make it a habit to take time off on important days like the day your team has to work overtime to keep up with deadlines. Acting like that will risk ruining your relationship with your coworker, especially if any of them suspect you’re faking it.
Having a good reputation for being loyal will clear any doubts from your boss or colleagues about you. If you are the lazy type, constantly trying to avoid work, it is difficult for you to apply for sick leave easily.
Make sure you don’t tell anyone you’re pretending to be sick, or they could tell your boss or others, and you’ll be in trouble!
Don’t “plan” your sick day in advance. If your boss found out that you let everyone know two weeks ago that you were going to take sick days, you could lose your job.
If you have to follow up on an urgent business case but still want a day off, go to work in the morning. Focus on what you need to do, and keep quiet. If someone asks you what’s wrong, just say you’re not feeling well. When you decide to take a break, just go to your boss and say you’re tired and want to go home. Don’t ask anything, just talk. Explain that you’ve completed your urgent work for the day and there’s nothing left to make your boss say no.
Build a reputation. Go to work when you’re really sick, and your boss won’t think you’re faking it when you decide to fake it so you don’t have to go to work. Once you’ve walked out the door to work a few times with a serious (or contagious) illness, your boss will be grateful that you took sick leave and think you’ve finally taken someone’s advice. rest at home.
Just call your boss. Don’t ask anyone to speak for you, or he will call you back. Then you have to pretend all over again!
Don’t call too late or your boss may get suspicious.
If you have children, children will be a good reason to take time off. Again, you may regret not spending more time at home when your child is sick, so be careful.
If you go to the beach on that day off, don’t forget to put on sunscreen. Showing up the next day at work with skin as red as a shrimp will embarrass you, it will denounce your guilt.

Warning

Don’t use the excuse that someone in your family died because your boss will surely find out and you will be found out as a liar. And your boss won’t trust you when someone actually dies.
Ideally, if you need too many days off that you can’t count, reassess the work you’re doing. Maybe you can’t stand the work you’re doing and it’s actually wreaking havoc on your health with anxiety, stress, and frustration. In this case, you need to think twice about changing your job or even your career path.
Most companies have very precise absentee management programs in place. Check with HR to see how your work history is aggregated. Under the absenteeism control program, if you have a doctor’s note, will you be penalized? You should consider your resignation, your job may depend on it.
In the US, under federal law, companies with more than 50 people are required to sign “FMLA”, the Family or Medical Leave Act for themselves or their dependents. If you report leave under the FMLA and are found to have taken advantage of your leave, you could be fired immediately.
Pretending sick leave is still not a good idea as it can cause you unnecessary stress just because you’re lying. If you have a problem at work, talk to your boss privately and they will help you through it.
Leaving work will affect all co-workers. Think twice before placing an extra burden on them and leaving anyone in a predicament.

Steps

Call

Unity Acting

Prepare to Call

Advice

Warning

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