Faking a sick day at work is the oldest trick in the book. We've all done it, whether we just need a break, or the sickness in question is a wicked hangover from some unexpected Tuesday night drinking.
It's such a common practice, there's even a WikiHow filled with detailed instructions on how to do it. Plus, according to a CareerBuilder.com survey, 35% of employees did it last year.
Of course, just because it's something a lot of us do, it sure doesn't mean we're all good at it. Here are the stories of 13 people who tried to fake a sick day and got straight-up busted.
1. Matt thought he was just a quick Google search away from being home-free.
Unfortunately, his boss had Google too. Looks like the employer dodged a bullet in this case, because anyone who fakes their daughter being in the hospital is probably not someone you want representing your company.
Maybe that's just me though.
2. Kevin Doyle got called out by HR for his suspicious social media post.
Rookie mistake, Kevin. Stay off social media if you're going to fake being sick. Trust me, it's a common theme on this list.
3. This woman faked her mom's death to go bowling... with her mom.
According to the New York Post, she also accepted a $150 gift from her coworkers after they heard the bad (and fake) news. Among the clues that led to her being caught were the fact that she misspelled "cemetery" and made up a nonexistent funeral home.
I bet the bowling was fun, though.
4. This boss has been keeping track of the not-so-clever excuses his employee has given him for missing work.
I guess the laughs at his expense are worth keeping him around?
5. This boss actually did the same thing. Albeit in a much more organized way.
Bosses love spreadsheets.
6. In 2008, a couple took 5 sick days each to go on their honeymoon in Aruba.
I'll be honest, that's kind of badass. It probably wasn't worth it though, because upon their return they were fined $7,500. Nothing blesses a new marriage quite like sudden crippling debt!
7. This employee really pressed his luck by Googling pictures of swollen ankles and busted windshields.
As the employer posted on Reddit, "It's a fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, go fuck yourself if you get caught kind of thing." Well said.
8. This unfiltered boss caught his employee on Snapchat and then called him a "lying c**t."
Savage. Also, as a bonus, the blonde woman in the picture is literally a friend of the guy's boss. Good job, Danny! Airtight excuse.
9. This guy had to unexpectedly take the day off when "something came up."
What came up, you might ask?
A Halloween party. This Halloween party:
Yup. And if you can believe it, the fairy dress isn't even the best part of this story. Check out how his employer responded once they saw the picture on Facebook.
It is a cool wand.
10. I honestly feel bad for this guy. He's stuck in traffic and totally forgot he's an idiot.
It could happen to anyone. Also, don't take selfies while you drive.
11. This woman said she couldn't sit at her computer all day, and then spent her sick day browsing Facebook.
She also accused her employers of spying on her, and led to Facebook being blocked at the company. See how one bad egg can spoil the bunch?
12. You gotta hand it to this guy. He got caught, and then doubled down.
First came the post:
Then came the classic boss response complete with snarky hashtags:
Finally, an argument in the comments:
Look, you have to either own up to it, or take a hammer and literally break your hand. You can't just half-commit to your story. Do you want the 4th of July off or not?!