When You Call In Sick, Are You “Really” Sick?

There's no real explanation for 'why', but sometimes you just need a day off from work. To regroup your thoughts, if nothing else. And a recent survey, reported by prepnation.dial-global.com, caught me off guard showing only about half of Americans have played hooky. That may sound like a lot to you, but compared to China for example, it's great. More than 70% of Chinese workers have claimed illness when they're not. But, who's the most conscientious country? In France, only 16% have feigned being sick and taken the day off. Canada and Australia rank the same as the U.S.

One website offers some tips on calling in sick when you just need a day off. And among them they say prepare a day ahead and make hints about your flu and symptoms. The site also says if you want to get "sick" at work to sneak some time off, to take a can of soup to work with you. Their advice, "When there are at least three people in the room at work, hold your stomach, groan loudly, hold your mouth and then dart into the bathroom. Someone will probably come into the bathroom simply because they will get curious, so close the door and make puking sounds while dumping the soup." I may be wrong, but think they did this very thing in "Animal House" or maybe it was "Revenge of the Nerds". Have you ever faked being sick? How convincing were you?