Poll: Playing Hooky

ugaimes · Jul 27, 2005

Believe it or not, until yesterday I had NEVER played hooky (calling in "sick" to work when I really wasn't) until yesterday. Bradley finally had a day off and I really wanted to spend one, full day with my honey.
Let me tell you, it was COMPLETELY worth it!
How many of y'all have played hooky and how many of you would never, ever?

darkeyedgirl · Jul 27, 2005

I don't know if this counts as hooky or not, but 2 weeks ago, everyone I work with in the Sales dept was in Orlando for a week-long mtg. I skipped the office that entire week and stayed home with my daughter!

I was online by 8am, offline by 5; also whenever my boss would call & ask me stuff or co-workers would check in, they'd call my cell and I'd tell my daughter to hush cuz mommy is faking being at the office.

Then on that Friday, Emmy and I came down here to the office and put crumbled up papers in the garbage cans, we ate here so there'd be stuff in the kitchen, and I made the office look "occupied". Does that count as hooky?

ugaimes · Jul 27, 2005

Originally Posted by darkeyedgirl

I don't know if this counts as hooky or not, but 2 weeks ago, everyone I work with in the Sales dept was in Orlando for a week-long mtg. I skipped the office that entire week and stayed home with my daughter!

I was online by 8am, offline by 5; also whenever my boss would call & ask me stuff or co-workers would check in, they'd call my cell and I'd tell my daughter to hush cuz mommy is faking being at the office.

Then on that Friday, Emmy and I came down here to the office and put crumbled up papers in the garbage cans, we ate here so there'd be stuff in the kitchen, and I made the office look "occupied". Does that count as hooky?

Steph, you sly devil!

That's awesome!

valanhb · Jul 27, 2005

Not at this job, but at my last job I did. I NEEDED mental health days from that hellhole!!! That and the stress actually did make me physically ill, but gee, when I stayed home from work I felt better than I did when I had called in sick in the morning.

This place is so understanding that it doesn't even matter the reason I want time off. Concert? No problem - Have fun! (And the bosses ask how the show was the next day!) Birthday? Enjoy your day! But that attitude makes me NOT want to miss work if I don't have to, and save up the sick time I am allotted just in case. (My last job didn't have sick time allotted, you had to use vacation time if you were sick.)

squirtle · Jul 27, 2005

Originally Posted by valanhb

This place is so understanding that it doesn't even matter the reason I want time off. Concert? No problem - Have fun! (And the bosses ask how the show was the next day!) Birthday? Enjoy your day! But that attitude makes me NOT want to miss work if I don't have to, and save up the sick time I am allotted just in case. (My last job didn't have sick time allotted, you had to use vacation time if you were sick.)

That's exactly how it is here.

lionessrampant · Jul 27, 2005

I always work full-time in the summer and until this summer, I would always pick out one day to totally lie through my teeth and call in sick when I wasn't...so. worth. it. This summer, I'm nannying, so my job is actually quite enjoyable at time and not so bad all the other times.

When I was in public school, however, I wouldn't dare. Unless the class in question was gym...BLECH!

katspixiedust · Jul 27, 2005

I haven't from either of my current jobs, but that's probably more because they're kind of impossible to call in from. If I ask early enough in advance I can usually take whatever days I want off. Even with my group ex classes! I just have to find someone willing to sub for me and then email my boss and let her know about the change and it's no problem. In fact someone subbed for both of my Saturday classes last weekend because I was in Tampa that night! Definitely couldn't just play hookey though. I'd be in some deep trouble!

In high school when I worked at Bikini Co I probably did it about once every two months or so. I chalk that up to being a high school kid working in a surf shop though! It was so relaxed I didn't feel it necessary to come in!

sammie5 · Jul 27, 2005

I said yes, once or twice a month. Which is a bit misleading, because I own my own business, and work from home part of the time. But some days, I tell my co-worker in the store that I am working in my office, and really, I am sitting with my feet up watching a movie. I need "me" time.

At my previous job, also retail, we were only open 4 days a week, but we worked 5, and on Tuesdays we were supposed to be there, working behind the scenes. The boss hired his son, who was a real slacker, and although he got paid as much as I did, he never showed up on Tuesday. And then boss stopped coming in too. So we made up a rule, no boss, no son, by noon, then we were gone too. Sometimes we took work related "field trips"", and sometimes we just went shopping. We figured that our dedication to the business was about as good as the family's what more could they expect.

jillian · Jul 27, 2005

I've done it once since starting my new job. My husband and I hadn't had any 'together' time in a while, so one day that he was off, I called in sick.

I did the same type of thing while in college. Every now and then I would take a "snow day," even if it was in the middle of april. Everyone needs a mental health day every once in awhile.

loveysmummy · Jul 27, 2005

Originally Posted by darkeyedgirl

I don't know if this counts as hooky or not, but 2 weeks ago, everyone I work with in the Sales dept was in Orlando for a week-long mtg. I skipped the office that entire week and stayed home with my daughter!

I was online by 8am, offline by 5; also whenever my boss would call & ask me stuff or co-workers would check in, they'd call my cell and I'd tell my daughter to hush cuz mommy is faking being at the office.

Then on that Friday, Emmy and I came down here to the office and put crumbled up papers in the garbage cans, we ate here so there'd be stuff in the kitchen, and I made the office look "occupied". Does that count as hooky?

That is fabulous!!! Hahahaha.
But don't you have an office phone too that they might have called and caught you up...

I have also played hooky with my daughter as well.
Just so she doesn't get the idea that all adults lie and stay home all the time on their employers, I tell her its ok every once in awhile to do more important stuff like spend time with cherished ones

kellyyfaber · Jul 27, 2005

everyone needs a free "hooky" day every now and then!!!

darkeyedgirl · Jul 27, 2005

That is fabulous!!! Hahahaha.
But don't you have an office phone too that they might have called and caught you up...

That's the beauty of this office... I can call my voicemail from anywhere (cell, home, etc.) and check vmail msgs here, and immediately respond. My company lives and dies via cell phones, so I rarely get calls here in the office!

rockcat · Jul 27, 2005

No, but I want to! I feel guilty calling in sick even if I'm VERY sick.

cyber cat · Jul 27, 2005

I have called in sick few times so I can have a day off.

pamela · Jul 27, 2005

It's RARE that I'd play hookey cuz my job really requires me to be on top of everything. I have to admit that I often would come to work even when I'm very sick.

It's cuz I'm the only one running my program so there's no one to take over for me for the day if I don't show up for work.

HOWEVER, I've noticed that I've been able to play hookey a bit more WITH APPROVAL since my new boss came in.. He is one of the GREATEST bosses EVER and makes me want to work more!

Sometimes he'd encourage me to take a day off just to relax AND not count it as vacation..

When I told him Monday what was going on with me for the next 4 days (men are coming into my apt to remodel my closets and I am worried about my cats getting out or hurt so I asked if I could stay home half a day for the 4 days from tues to fri while the men worked so I could watch my cats and I could do some work from home).

You know what my boss said?? "Oh, go ahead - stay home, work and don't use this as vacation time. This is between you and me."

He actually paged me to see how my cats and I were doing yesterday afternoon and asked me this morning! He is allegric to cats but still would ask about my cats! I have other friends who are allegric who doesn't ask me about my cats. I swear if he was single, I'd THINK about making a move on him (I would NEVER make a move on a man though! Too scared to)!

Anyway the point is I don't worry as much about whether I need to play "hookey" since my boss is very supportive of me and if I tell him I need a day off for myself, he always says go for it.

In fact, he sometimes would tell me that I need a day off and tell me to go home early cuz I work too hard.

daidreamer · Jul 27, 2005

it sucks cause now I can't play hooky from work cause if I don't feel good or if a storm or something happens I am set up to work from home..

oh well I worked from home last night to keep a watch over our Max last night. Thats the bonus of it I guess.

marge · Jul 27, 2005

It's funny, I started thread about this awhile back. I had a supervisor ask if I was "really sick" when I used sick time and I was asking if other people have that happen. I found her question intrusive but maybe that was me.

loveysmummy · Jul 27, 2005

I find that its not as intrusive as it sounds as if your employer mistrusts you...I wouldn't like that...Employers should trust their employees enough to allow them the time they need if they trust them to do the work.

My boss is great for time off for whatever (appt's, events, etc) and this is why I don't abuse it. I work harder than most and do extra tasks (mostly because others won't or can't) just for the extra privileges that come with mutual respect.

With my mum's recent cancer diagnosis, I explained that I would be needing flexible hours and days off at short notice over the next however long.. He simply said "whatever you need"..

If an employer asked if I was "really sick" I "really" wouldn't be there long!!!

marge · Jul 27, 2005

Originally Posted by Loveysmummy

I find that its not as intrusive as it sounds as if your employer mistrusts you...I wouldn't like that...Employers should trust their employees enough to allow them the time they need if they trust them to do the work.

My boss is great for time off for whatever (appt's, events, etc) and this is why I don't abuse it. I work harder than most and do extra tasks (mostly because others won't or can't) just for the extra privileges that come with mutual respect.

With my mum's recent cancer diagnosis, I explained that I would be needing flexible hours and days off at short notice over the next however long.. He simply said "whatever you need"..

If an employer asked if I was "really sick" I "really" wouldn't be there long!!!

I am job hunting but that isn't fully why, although it didn't help. that woman doesn't seem to trust anyone. But it's been better with her lately.
I found it realy offensive, especially since I have a sort of werid job and don't have the luxury of calling in sick cause then basically the school program I run gets closed. So I amjust always there and take days off at spring break and before school starts.

loveysmummy · Jul 27, 2005

Originally Posted by Marge

I am job hunting but that isn't fully why, although it didn't help. that woman doesn't seem to trust anyone. But it's been better with her lately.
I found it realy offensive, especially since I have a sort of werid job and don't have the luxury of calling in sick cause then basically the school program I run gets closed. So I amjust always there and take days off at spring break and before school starts.

Well, good luck with it! I figure we spend so many hours working that we had better d*mn well enjoy it..

Poll: Playing Hooky

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