Archived Calling Out

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We all have done it, don't lie, yes you there, sitting on the couch, watching TV, when you should be at work, but you called out, LOL. While you might have called out, for being legitimately sick or some other formality, or just called in because well you didn't feel like working, there is always that one excuse we all have to make in order to convincing. For example, I called out, due to wanting to take a personal day , because the stress at work the other day really got to me, and I needed time to deal, so I call up and tell them that I have been sick in bed all day. While I don't advocate lying, what else could I have said "hey I'm not coming in today, because I am going to do some Christmas shopping and watch some TV", yea that would have gone over real well. So what is done is done, and the end result is , I am glad I called, gave me the day to put things into perspective. So any wild excuse you have used, have you ever been caught in a lie about calling out, etc...?
 
I would say no. I rarely call out if ever, that's what the swap shift board is for. You also don't have to tell them a reason why it's none of their business why you are calling out. They can say that it will affect your attendance and it might but you don't have to tell them why you are not coming to work.
 
You also don't have to tell them a reason why it's none of their business why you are calling out.
Some people should stick with this. Our cart attendant called out a day last week because he "didn't sleep real well last night". I had a good laugh until I realized that means I'm getting carts instead of working the guest service desk, 2 weeks before Christmas :laugh1:
 
we had a stressed out rookie ETL take a call in for an evening salesfloor shift, and the Etl sat there and argued with the tm for about ten minutes, doing all sorts of stupid things like threatening his job. He did it infront of the flow team, and a senior member was kind enough to coach us all and say just call in and say u can't make it. What the etl is doing is completely wrong and opening themselves and the store up for all sorts of liability.
 
Everytime I've called off its been for legitimate reasons. I did however no call no show one time because I went to Disney World. I really really hate lying so I just didn't call at all, no lie = no feel bad and a fun filled time at Disney! :) It was my first trip to Disney and it was last minute notice I was going, do you blame me?
 
Everytime I've called off its been for legitimate reasons. I did however no call no show one time because I went to Disney World. I really really hate lying so I just didn't call at all, no lie = no feel bad and a fun filled time at Disney! :) It was my first trip to Disney and it was last minute notice I was going, do you blame me?

Everyone no matter who you are, even if not sick might need a mental day just to rest, for such little pay, this job is still stressful in its own right. I do though, think that calling out is way better than just not showing up when you are expected there. At least if you give notice they can plan accordingly.
 
I have a lot of health problems so i can't risk calling in when i'm not actually sick.. i take too many days as it is! (in my opinion). Luckily my ETL's and STL know what's going on and i'm really good at keeping them updated so if i call in or need to leave early they're really understanding.
That being said I really don't judge people that do. There's just some days when you need a day off no matter what kind of job you have.
 
proud to say.

I haven't called in in nine years. Not bragging, and it certainly wasn't for Target it was because I know what a burden it places on everyone else in my department.
 
Six years between last two jobs, called in one time and ended up going in an hour after I was supposed to have started... Doesn't mean that I haven't taken those personal health 4 day weekends where you don't get off the couch though!!!

The way I see it... You can be sick or stressed; or you can be getting paid while your sick or stressed!
 
Yea, I usually give good notice, and I am hardly the one that ever calls out, I have went in when I am sick with a cold. During my time with Target I have maybe called out a total of 2 times, once because of a family emergency (which family comes first IMO), and secondly for being legitimately sick with a stomach virus. So if you count this time, that makes it three. But I am always on time if not early to my scheduled shifts and though I do it more out of obligation, I stay late when my ETL-LOG asks me to. And Jettajunky, I couldn't blame you, Disney is a good excuse, heck I would rather be there then in the stockroom lol.
 
The way I see it... You can be sick or stressed; or you can be getting paid while your sick or stressed!

Good point! You could be at home recovering, or you could be at work getting your coworkers sick, and possibly running your immune system down enough that your light illness becomes full blown and requires medical treatment. The 7 to ten dollars an hour you are making will go a long way towards your medical bills!
 
You know who picks up the slack when someone calls out or NCNS? Your team mates. Not the LODs not Target but the other people who are just as stressed and burned out as you. For the last 8 years I have suggested to my team that they ask for a day off in December just to decompress. When someone calls in, even with the 2 hour notice it is extremely hard to get someone to replace you. Not too many people are willing to jump at the chance to come in to Christmas Chaos.
 
I can't speak for everybody, but this is what works for me: When team member(s) call in, and I am suppose to pick up slack, I just let the ball drop. Simple as that!
 
I haven't called in in nine years. Not bragging, and it certainly wasn't for Target it was because I know what a burden it places on everyone else in my department.
Same. I rarely call off. And even when I'm not feeling well at all, and will not make it in at my scheduled time, I offer to come in later when I'm feeling a bit better. However, I've stopped doing that, since you'll just be written up for it later. You're better off just calling in sick and not going in and screwing everyone over. The main reason I don't call off is because I can't afford it. The other reason is that it really hurts the rest of the team, who are just expected to make up the difference. From my experience though, it's not worth having a perfect attendance record, they'll just use you as an example of what everyone else should do, but then they'll cut your hours and treat you like crap just like everyone else.

I worked at another retail store years ago, was still quite young, and my buddies called me up and told me there was a Queens of the Stone Age concert that night, that they bought me a ticket, and that I needed to be there in a couple hours. I was already at work, cart pusher, and frantically looked for a way to get out. I was afraid of using the sick card, as they would have drilled me on the spot and written me up later. Instead, last minute I conjured a story that someone called me and told me my Dad was in a car accident and he was in the hospital. My manager was extremely sympathetic and let me go in a hurry. I will never do that again, I felt so guilty. lolol He asked me when I came back the next day if my dad was doing alright and I was just like "Oh... yeah, wasn't as bad as they led me to believe..."
 
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Called out 3x in 10 yrs: hurt my back gardening (lifting a bag of manure), my mom was taken to the hospital & a time I was ill enough that I couldn't stay on my feet.
I was never lucky enough that someone bought me a ticket for any event or an opportunity arose.
 
Called out 3x in 10 yrs: hurt my back gardening (lifting a bag of manure), my mom was taken to the hospital & a time I was ill enough that I couldn't stay on my feet.
I was never lucky enough that someone bought me a ticket for any event or an opportunity arose.
I feel you, trust me. That was one of the only good days of my life. lol. I was terminated from that job because I couldn't afford to maintain my car, front axle half-shaft went, hit parked car, insurance dropped me, couldn't make it to work, kicked out of apartment, and the rest of my family made like 18k a year, so I couldn't rely on them. Someone always has it better, someone always has it worse. But, the way this society was built, it should never be so bad for anyone that they can't afford to live, especially if they're working their asses off.
 
The important thing is that you felt guilty & were/aren't the type to do that but once.
Many of the kids I work with have done that without feeling any regret or caring about leaving their coworkers in the lurch. Which is why I get a certain amount of schadenfreude when they get busted ;)
 
It was my first trip to Disney and it was last minute notice I was going, do you blame me?

I don't get the opportunity to go to disney often, been there 3 times between cali and florida... gets to be difficult to make it out there when they are both about 1500 miles away!
 
I've only called out once in three years, I was ill to the point of not being able to function.
 
Doesn't happen often, but I just say, "I can't make it in today" or "I'm not feeling well"

A TL called out the other day and said "my dog is sick" I understand because my sweet little puppy is like my kid, but come on team leader, figure something out!! Anyway, we all know she was just making excuses aka giving the team more funny things to tease her about.
 
Redeye, schadenfreude, the only reason I know that word is from going to see a play called Avenue Q, with a song that was called exactly that lol
 
I've only called off once in the past two years and that was due to spraining my ankle working Black Friday morning an hour into my shift. I opened that Saturday so called Friday night and said I couldn't come in. This was back when I lived in an apartment and my bathroom was literally not even two feet from from my bedroom door and I had to hold on to the walls and hop on my one good foot (or butt crawl across the carpet). Couldn't put any weight on it until Sunday (which I was off), and even then it still hurt like hell.
 
I'm willing to bet all the hardasses in this thread also feel like they are underappreciated at target. Trust me on this one, call in a little more, it will make the team realize how great you are when they don't have you for a couple days a week!!! LOL
 
I'm willing to bet all the hardasses in this thread also feel like they are underappreciated at target. Trust me on this one, call in a little more, it will make the team realize how great you are when they don't have you for a couple days a week!!! LOL

It's the greatest/worst feeling. On the rare occasion I can't make it in, photo goes to hell. I was scheduled for a 7pm-midnight inventory shift a few weeks ago, and the closing photoTM called out. The printers jammed up and nobody could fix it. My GSTL left me a frantic voicemail begging me to come in early and fix things so the guests would stop yelling at her.

I was playing Call of Duty, and didn't get the message until 630.

Oops.
 
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