How do you get off from work?

[coldfeet]

ok here goes...I want to go to the Gathering in a few weeks, the problem is I'm needed that Friday for camp Goodwill games (color war)...so they are really angry with me because I'm like an asst' to the ass't director. Well we agreed that if I dress up like Willie Wonka for the beginning of color war I can go hiking.

What crazy things do you do to get out of work?

 

[MichaelJ]

I just never take vacation time other than two dozen single days here and there for hiking!

I'm a software developer, so a single day here or there or every other week isn't a big deal.

 

[una_dogger]

Getting time off...

...shameless plug for coordinated slacking! Yeah!

I used to have it sooo easy, I was a Research Associate for a non profit Ecological Institute and I had a month's vacation time, which I could take all at once! Plus a cool boss..

me: Boss, can I take a full month off all at once to go to Nepal? I realize its right in the middle of our busy season, but its in thier trekking season, the avalanche risk moderate, and the monsoons are over.
boss: Sure! Sounds great! Have fun. See ya when ya get back.
me:Tthanks, boss! I knew you'd say 'yes', which is why I've already booked my entire trip, online, downstairs, when I was supposed to be working.

(Okay, maybe I left that part out! )

I have it much tougher now, which is why I have become a weekend she-warrior.

 

[Outtabreath]

I say "I gotta go hiking"

 

[Steve-o]

Ahhhh, the advantages of being self-employed.
They're are'nt many, but, that's one of them.

 

[dentonfabrics]

You call in sick. I'd never waste a sick day for when I was feeling ill. Hell, if I feel sick I can sleep at my desk just as easily as I can when I'm home in bed.

Here's what you do. Call your boss at work (and this part is key) BEFORE he gets there. Calling at 4 or 5am is a real selling point. Leave him (her) this voice mail - "I'm sick. I've been up all night. I'm not coming in. I'm going back to bed". Make those your first words of the day so you have a naturally raw voice. The "I'm going back to bed" part is key. That's your built-in excuse should he be lame enough to call you at home. Don't give the boss a laundry list of maladies - "I've been throwing up chunks", "I have diareah". You're overselling it then. When I hear that from my subs, I know they're faking it.

When you come back to work the next day, dont act like you're recouping. That's for amateurs. Just tell them you feel better, then change the subject. Simple as 1, 2, 3.


your welcome,
denton fabrics
the George Costanza of VFFT

 

[hikerfast]

the easiest way for me to get out of work is merely to walk out the door. usually happens between 4 and 6 pm.

 

[poison ivy]

It took four years, but I finally have my boss trained. When I agree to fill in for someone else or do something extra, he gives me a free day off so I can have an extended hiking weekend.

- Ivy

 

[Woody]

I just call my secretary and tell her to cancel any appointments for the day, I won't be coming in!

 

[SilentCal]

My boss is pretty cool with time off as long as I give him notice ahead of time. What kills me is a co-worker who keeps tabs of everyone's days off and when someone leaves early. He's always reminding the higher ups of the time off everyone takes and how he has to endure the extra workload. I get four weeks vacations and 120 floater hours to work with a year so I can't complain.

 

[Double Bow]

You call in sick. I'd never waste a sick day for when I was feeling ill. Hell, if I feel sick I can sleep at my desk just as easily as I can when I'm home in bed...

This is EXACTLY what I do!!! We don't have sick days at my work, we have "Personal Days" or as they're officially called "Occasional Absences". Clearly, fulfilling the need to hike fits this bill. Of course, comin in the next day with a sunburn is a MAJOR faux pas!

 

[amstony]

I put in allot of hours, way beyond 40, often 6 day or 7 day weeks, so when I need a day I just let them know. They've never denied me time off, and they actually think all this hiking and marathon training by an "old guy" is pretty wild. I do have a couple of reliable back up folks, and as those who have hiked with me know, I am attached to a cell phone to handle the "crisis" du jour. I think the requesting of the time off has more to do with me, I worry too much about the things I am responsible for so probably don't ask for it, limiting myself to the time off.

My regional manager works in the same office, so we back each other up for vacations and long weekends . He has a policy to never call a person on vacation- mainly due to the tough management environment, he handles the problem. When I called last week on my vacation to talk to him, he told me to "chill out, drink some beer and see ya next week". i followed his orders.......

 

[ADK4Life]

All of my sick and vacation days are used for hiking (minus christmas time)

 

[king tut]

Tell your boss that you thought it was "clothing optional" day at work, like casual fridays. this will buy you at least a day off of work.

 

[TCD]

I'm blessed with 5 weeks vacation, and a large enough facility that there are usually others who can cover my areas of responsibility. We also have personal time, but I would not be happy in the woods if I lied about being sick or having another obligation. I just count myself lucky to have the vacation, and I don't try for more (until I retire, that is).

 

[Brownie]

Field Research

"Field Research" or, "Field Survey" usually gets me out the door OK.

Helps if I bring a tape measure and clipboard to the car on my way out....
Jeff

 

[LenDawg]

I'm on call 24-7 so if my boss isn't holding my hand while I'm talking to a ship's captain at 4 Am, he doesn't have to be holding my hand if I choose to take a Friday off. Good hard work deserves a break now and then!

 

[una_dogger]

Sick days...why didn't I think of that??!!

When I left my last job I had something like 200 hours of sick time accrued that I hadn't used....I called in sick maybe twice in six years!

And of course, I lost that time, no pay outs for sick time!

Live and learn..

 

[MrAmeche]

Ahhhh, the advantages of being self-employed.
They're are'nt many, but, that's one of them.

Exactly. I rent apartments here in Boston, and after the middle of September, I'm lucky if I go into the office twice a week. It would be a shame if all that down time wasn't spent hiking during the nicest part of the year.

The last time I coughed my way through a sick excuse to go hiking was at my previous job; I came into work the next day with an awful sunburn on my forehead. I had a tough time trying to explain that one. Now I tell my boss I'm taking a day off, he rolls his eyes and mutters, "Oh yeah, that 'list' thing," and I'm in the clear.

 

[Artex]

I'm a teacher so I get lot's of time off, which is a very nice perk. I don't get to choose my days, but seeing as all the time off is during the best times of year, it doesn't really matter.