20 Good Excuses to Miss Work on Short Notice

Co-authored by Dan Hickey

Last Updated: October 25, 2022 References

We all feel the need to skip work some days, but what are good excuses to miss work on short notice? If you don’t think you can get away with your usual excuse again, don’t worry—there are a ton of other believable reasons to call off work last minute or leave work early. We’ve put together a handy list of 20 bulletproof excuses to get out of work that will make your boss sympathetic and get you a much-needed day off. If you’re ready for a mid-week day at home, keep scrolling!

Things You Should Know

Keep it short and sweet by saying you don't feel well. If pressed, say you have a migraine, the flu, food poisoning, or you threw out your back.
Tell your boss that you have an emergency appointment. This could be for you, or it could be for a "sick" child, spouse, or pet.
To avoid health-related excuses, say that you're locked out of your car or you have a flat tire.

1

You’re not feeling well.

You can’t predict illness, so calling in sick is an effective excuse. Whether you’re saying you’ve got the flu, menstrual cramps, allergies, or a stomach bug, keep your story a little vague. Most bosses won’t ask detailed follow-up questions—if they do, feel free to invent some sickening details.^{[1]
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- “I woke up this morning with an awful sore throat and cough. I’d hate to get anyone else sick, so I won’t be coming in today.”
- “My allergies are horrible today because of the change in weather. I can’t get my symptoms under control, so I need to take a sick day today.”
- “I’ve got terrible menstrual cramps today and can barely move off the couch. Unfortunately I’m not going to make it into work this afternoon.”

2

You’ve got a sick child to take care of.

Sick kids get sympathy, especially if your boss has met them before. Caring for sick kids requires lots of attention. They’re especially contagious, too, so your boss and coworkers will be thankful you’re not spreading their germs. Use this excuse at the last minute, or even the night before if their “illness” is severe.^{[2]
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- “My son woke up with a fever this morning and I need to take today off to take care of him.”
- “My twins were throwing up all night and I need to be home to monitor them today.”
- “I can’t make it in today. Strep throat has been going around my daughter’s school and it looks like she’s caught it.”

3

You have a last-minute doctor’s appointment.

Doctor’s appointments are cliché, but they work when used sparingly. Bosses might doubt your sincerity but won’t ask too many questions since medical information is personal. Be careful not to overuse this one or you might have to start providing doctor’s notes in the future. Use this excuse on the day of your shift or even the day before.^{[3]
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- “I’ve been trying to get an appointment for weeks and a slot just opened up for tomorrow, so I’ll need to take the day off.”
- “I woke up with a high fever and had to make a last-minute appointment to get checked out. I’m sorry for the late notice, but I can’t come in to work today.”
- “My doctor’s office called and rescheduled my appointment for this afternoon. Unfortunately I’ll have to leave work early today.”

4

You’ve got food poisoning.

Food poisoning is sudden and severe, and people know how awful it is. This is an extra effective excuse because it’s untraceable and you only need about a day to recover—perfect for a mid-week vacation! Make sure you sound like you’re trying not to throw up when you call in to really sell it.^{[4]
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- “I’ve been up all night with food poisoning and there’s no way I can come into work today.”
- “I think I’ve come down with food poisoning. I can’t keep anything down, so I’m going to have to take today off.”
- “I went out to eat last night and I think I contracted food poisoning. I’m not going to make it to the office today. Hopefully I’ll be recovered by tomorrow.”

5

You’ve got a dental emergency or appointment.

A chipped tooth is a great excuses to miss work last-minute. Dental emergencies usually get a lot of sympathy, so keep your story brief. It’s difficult to focus on work with a severe toothache and dentist appointments can be hard to schedule, so your boss will most likely understand why you need the day off.^{[5]
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- “I broke a tooth at breakfast this morning and need to go see a dentist right away.”
- “There was a cancellation at my dentist’s office and my appointment got rescheduled for today, so I won’t make my shift.”
- “I slipped on ice while walking to my car and busted a few teeth. I have to go in for emergency dental surgery and can’t come into work today.”

6

You’re coping with a migraine.

Migraines are severe and make it nearly impossible to work efficiently. They’re also fairly common and usually garner sympathy from whoever you’re talking to. Tell your boss or manager that you can’t perform your job while you deal with your fake migraine—they’ll most likely understand and give you the day off.^{[6]
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- “I’ve got a horrible migraine today and there’s no way I can make it through my shift later. I’m going to need to take today off.”
- “I have a migraine today and it hurts to even look at a computer screen. I’m taking a sick day today.”
- “I can’t come in this evening. I’ve had a horrible migraine all day and it doesn’t seem like it’s getting better anytime soon.”

7

You had a minor accident or injury.

Accidents happen to everybody. Fake a minor injury that reasonably interferes with how well you do your job. Some common and believable accidents include falls, sprained ankles, cuts, and knee injuries. If you have to see your boss soon, fake an injury that heals quickly or is non-visible (like a pulled muscle). Things involving stitches or casts might only work if you work remotely.^{[7]
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- “I tripped over my son’s Lego spaceship and rolled my ankle. I’m hobbling pretty poorly and need the day off to recover.”
- “I twisted my knee on a run last night and it’s swollen and painful today. I need to go to the doctor to get it checked out, so I need the day off.”
- “I sliced my hand open when I broke a dish this morning. I have to go get stitches and won’t be coming in today.”

8

You threw out your back.

Almost nothing is more universally loathed than a hurt or strained back. Anyone can use this excuse since a bad back makes it hard to do anything from sitting at a desk chair to manual labor. Fake a hurt back if your manager knows you work out a lot or have a heavy-lifting project going on at home.^{[8]
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- “I did something to my back at the gym this morning and can barely move.”
- “I threw out my back yesterday while I was moving some appliances around for my kitchen renovation.”
- “I had to help my daughter move into her dorm yesterday and hurt my back lifting some heavy boxes. I’m gonna need to take a day off to recover.”

9

You need a mental health day.

Mental health is personal, so empathetic bosses won’t push back hard. Mention how you’ve been having anxiety about an upcoming life event or how you’ve been unable to focus at work and need some time off to take care of yourself. Consider your boss’ attitude—a compassionate, younger boss is more likely to accept this excuse.^{[9]
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- “I’ve been under a lot of stress getting ready for my wedding next week and need a day off to get myself together.”
- “My anxiety has been through the roof this week. I’m taking a personal day today to take care of myself.”
- “Without going into too much detail, I’m in a rough spot mentally and need some time off today.”

10

You were exposed to Covid.

In today’s world, Covid is the ultimate excuse to get out of work. It’s highly contagious, and most people need several days off to quarantine and confirm they’re not sick. Create a believable backstory for how you were exposed, and give a timeline of when you can safely return to work.^{[10]
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- “I just found out I was exposed to Covid at a family gathering yesterday. I don’t have symptoms, but will not be coming in until I can get a negative test result.”
- “I was in close contact with someone who has an active Covid infection last night. I will be staying home to quarantine today.”
- “I was exposed to Covid recently. My rapid test was negative, but I can’t come in today since I’m waiting on my PCR results.”
- Double check your company’s Covid policy before using this excuse. You may be required to quarantine for several days or weeks.

11

You just donated blood.

Donating blood is very draining. Plus, it’s hard to penalize you for doing a good deed! Casually mention that you're going to donate blood the day before you plan on calling out work to really sell the story. Then call in after your “appointment” and say you’re too woozy to come in.^{[11]
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- “I wasn’t expecting to feel so lightheaded after donating. I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to come in today.”
- “I fainted after my blood donation this morning and need the day to recover.”
- “The nurse who took my blood recommended I stay home today since I felt pretty weak afterwards.”

12

You have a pet emergency or vet appointment.

Adorable pets will get you sympathy from your boss or manager. They’ll understand that taking care of your animal is a major responsibility. Show your boss some cute photos while you’re at work to soften them up—they’ll feel more invested in your pet’s health if they know more about them ahead of time.^{[12]
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- “My cat won’t eat or drink anything and I’m worried about her health. I had to make an emergency vet appointment.”
- “My dog ate something in the trash and is now very sick. I need to stay home today to watch him.”
- “My dog went after a raccoon on our morning walk today and got bitten and scratched. I’m worried about infection so I had to make a last-minute vet appointment.”

13

You’ve got a family emergency.

Family emergencies work great since they can be vague or personal. Most bosses won’t ask for much detail since these situations are highly sensitive, but be prepared with a believable scenario just in case. Almost anything can be a family emergency. Try something like:^{[13]
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- “My father fell this morning and has to go into emergency surgery. I need to be at the hospital with him and can’t make it into work today.”
- “I got a call from my elderly grandma and she sounded completely incoherent. I’ve got to check in on her and won’t be coming in today.”
- “I’m experiencing a family emergency today and need to leave town unexpectedly. I’m sorry for the inconvenience, but I can’t come in today.”

14

You can’t find childcare.

Childcare is hard to find when your usual daycare or caretaker falls through. Use this excuse if you have young kids. It’s nearly impossible for your boss to confirm if you’re lying or not, and if they have kids themselves, they’ll probably be sympathetic to your cause.^{[14]
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- “My nanny called in sick at the last minute and I can’t find anyone else to watch my daughter.”
- “My son is being sent home from school early today and now I have to go pick him up. I’m going to have to leave the office early today.”
- “My daughter’s daycare class has to quarantine because of a Covid exposure and I couldn’t find a babysitter to watch her today.”

15

You’ve got out-of-town visitors.

Unexpected friends or family are a valid excuse to take time off. Explain how you have to host and entertain your guests, or pick them up from the airport during work hours. Emphasize how it’s unexpected or an emergency, otherwise your boss might wonder why you didn’t mention it earlier.^{[15]
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- “My mom is surprising me with a visit tomorrow and I haven’t seen her since before the pandemic. I’m going to need the day off.”
- “My brother is flying into town unexpectedly to deal with a personal emergency and I need to be available to pick him up from O’Hare.”
- “My sister got called into jury duty and I have to watch my nephew all day tomorrow, so I’ll need to take the day off.”

16

You’re taking care of a household problem.

Most people understand that severe home issues can happen any time. Power outages, flooded basements, or downed trees are all valid reasons to take a day off and get your home in order. Your boss will probably understand how frustrating your situation is and allow you some time off.^{[16]
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- “My basement is completely flooded because of that storm last night. I’ve got to stay home today to do damage control and get some repair people in here.”
- “The stairs on my back porch collapsed and the only time a carpenter could come take a look is during my shift today. Unfortunately I’ll need the day off.”
- “A pipe burst in my kitchen and I had to call an emergency plumber. I can’t make it into work today.”

17

You’re expecting an important delivery.

In the United States, almost 1.7 million packages are stolen every day.^{[17]
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- “I’m having a new oven delivered and installed tomorrow, so I’ll need to take the day off.”
- “I have to be home tomorrow to sign for an important package from a relative. The delivery window is all day, so I can’t come into work.”
- “My couch delivery is coming sooner than expected and I need to take this afternoon off to be home for it.”

18

You’re having car trouble.

If you need your car to get to work, this is a golden excuse to call off. Most people understand that these things happen, so keep your story a little vague. This excuse probably won’t work if you live in a big city with a public transportation system, though.^{[19]
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- “I can’t get my car to start. Unfortunately I can’t make it to work until I figure out what’s wrong.”
- “I got a flat tire on my way to work this morning. I need to take my car in to get a replacement and won’t be coming in today.”
- “I noticed some smoke coming out from under the hood and took my car to the mechanic. It’ll be in the shop all day, so I’ll need the day off.”

19

You’re locked out of your house or car.

Getting locked out is a universally frustrating experience. Explain how you have to wait for your spouse, roommate, or a locksmith to bring you spare keys before you can leave or travel to work. Use this one very rarely to keep it believable.^{[20]
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- “I locked my keys in the car while I was warming it up this morning. I can’t leave until my wife gets home with the spare keys.”
- “I’m locked out of my apartment and my roommate is out of town until tomorrow. The locksmith won’t come until this afternoon, so I have to miss work today.”
- “I lost my keys at the gym this morning and can’t get in to change for my shift. I have to wait for my boyfriend to get home and make key copies.”

20

You’re observing a religious holiday.

Religious holidays work as long as you tell your boss a little in advance. Pick a believable holiday—it would be pretty odd to take off work for Rosh Hashanah if your boss knows you’re not Jewish, for example. Holidays don’t usually catch people by surprise, so mention it a day or 2 beforehand.^{[21]
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- “I will be taking tomorrow off in observance of Yom Kippur.”
- “I can’t come into work on Friday in observance of Diwali.”
- “Work is restricted on Fridays during Ramadan, so I will be leaving early tomorrow.”

Warnings

Review your company’s policies about missing work before calling in with an excuse. Too many absences might result in probation or disciplinary action (plus you’ll want to save some sick days for actual illnesses and emergencies).

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