Late for Work? Don’t Try These Excuses ; My Cat Had Hiccups

You’re late for work.  It happens to everyone once in a while.  But, the best advice for getting out of what might be a bad situation with your employer is to always tell the truth.  That didn’t seem to be option of choice for many people – or, maybe it was but the truth was just beyond belief.

According to the employment website CareerBuilder the year past was one in which being late for work excuses hit a new high – or is that a new low?  Even if it were true, would you tell your boss you were late because your cat had the hiccups?  Come on; if that’s the best you can come up with why not head for the unemployment office right now?

Being Late to Work is Increasing

CareerBuilder says that some 16 percent of workers reported they arrive late to work once a week or more, up from 15 percent last year (2010). Twenty-seven percent of workers arrive late to work at least once a month, up from 26 percent last year. The really bad news is that more than one-third (34 percent) of employers said they have fired an employee for being late.  Even Donald Trump will blink twice at the figure.

The top causes for reporting lake, according to the survey, were traffic (31 percent), lack of sleep/oversleeping (18 percent), weather conditions (11 percent), and getting the kids to school/daycare (8 percent).  Other excuses involved Internet usage, pets, the husband/wife and watching television.  Yes, all those will certainly go over well with your boss, right?

Here are some other wonderful and imaginative excuses as reported by more than 3,000 hiring managers and human resource professionals and almost 8,000 U.S. workers (employed full-time, not self-employed, non-government):

Top Ten Excuses

1. Employee’s cat had the hiccups.

2. Employee thought she had won the lottery (she didn’t).

3. Employee got distracted watching the TODAY Show.

4. Employee’s angry roommate cut the cord to his phone charger, so it didn’t charge and his alarm didn’t go off.

5. Employee believed his commute time should count toward his work hours.

6. Employee claimed a fox stole her car keys.

7. Employee’s leg was trapped between the subway car and the platform (turned out to be true).

8. Employee said he wasn’t late because he had no intention of getting to work before 9:00 a.m. (his start time was 8:00 a.m.)

9. Employee was late because of a job interview with another firm.  This excuse deserves some kind of award for the sheer moxie (or is it stupidity) of the excuse, although there might be some bonus points for honesty.

10. Employee had to take a personal call from the state governor (turned out to be true).

If nothing else the American workforce, and perhaps workers worldwide, can be given credit for the creativity and resourcefulness.  Something that might come in handy as they search out their next place of employment.

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