Is it acceptable?

[Dragonfly]

I think it's very disrespectful to text your boss when you're taking the day off. It's also unfair to the people who don't have cell phones since they would have to call. I'm old fashioned in that sense, but I remember a time when people not only got fired for texting the day off, they were the laughing stock of the office.

It's only disrespectful if the company has a clear, decisive, and well defined policy specifically against such actions. Otherwise it's simply another form of communication.

I go to work at 5:00am. Hours before most of my peers and "bosses" are even awake.

I'm sure they'd much rather have a text or email message from me if I'm sick, than a phone call.

And yes - you are very much "old fashioned in that sense". :mrgreen:

 

[Jerry]

It's only disrespectful if the company has a clear, decisive, and well defined policy specifically against such actions. Otherwise it's simply another form of communication.

I go to work at 5:00am. Hours before most of my peers and "bosses" are even awake.

I'm sure they'd much rather have a text or email message from me if I'm sick, than a phone call.

And yes - you are very much "old fashioned in that sense". :mrgreen:

Just thismorning the boss, a co-worker and I were in a group text and switched around some shifts. It lasted for about 2 minutes, very efficient.

 

[sangha]

People should probably ask when hired what company policy is about calling/texting in sick. Personally, I want to hear your voice, so I can determine how legitimate the sick call sounds.

As a boss, I want to hear the fake wheezing and coughing, if only for entertainment purposes

 

[Jerry]

As a boss, I want to hear the fake wheezing and coughing, if only for entertainment purposes

Man, that employee has it all wrong. You don't use your sick days when you're sick. You medicate and work while your sick and use your sick days to go fishing. If I called you to to tell you I'm using a sick day, I'm not going to sound sick, because I'm not sick, and I wouldn't claim to be, so there's nothing to fake.

But then my call would probably occur the afternoon before, not the morning of, and would likely be face to face...and there's a difference between using a sick day and pretending to be sick. If your company has floating personal holidays instead of 'sick' days that's what I would be using.

 

[grip]

As a boss, I want to hear the fake wheezing and coughing, if only for entertainment purposes

:rofl If they're faking, I want them to have to do more than just text me and really commit to the lie.

 

[sangha]

Man, that employee has it all wrong. You don't use your sick days when you're sick. You medicate and work while your sick and use your sick days to go fishing. If I called you to to tell you I'm using a sick day, I'm not going to sound sick, because I'm not sick, and I wouldn't claim to be, so there's nothing to fake.

But then my call would probably occur the day before, and would likely be face to face...and there's a difference between using a sick day and pretending to be sick. If your company has floating personal holidays instead of 'sick' days that's what I would be using.

You sound like a model employee! :wink:

 

[Jerry]

You sound like a model employee! :wink:

I could still fake it for you if you want, I learned from my wife

 

[sangha]

I could still fake it for you if you want, I learned from my wife

And willing to suck up to the boss!!

I'd not only hire you; I'd promote you!

 

[StillBallin75]

I have noticed a trend with young people. They seem to think it is acceptable to text their boss that they won't be able to come to work that day. It has always been my policy that they must call. What say you?

Yeah, where I work it's becoming a minor issue, with guys and gals either texting our supervisors (or texting our colleagues to tell our supervisors) that we're calling out - or texting out as it were. Official company policy is to actually dial the store phone number, talk to the manager on duty and let them know you can't come to work. Honestly though in my opinion, as long as the communication is timely and effective nothing else should really matter.

 

[AGENT J]

I have noticed a trend with young people. They seem to think it is acceptable to text their boss that they won't be able to come to work that day. It has always been my policy that they must call. What say you?

I have called, texted and emailed to call off and i think its fine.
Also text is just as good as any other way because it can be verified that it was delivered and a record can actually be kept. So from a tractability/recorded keeping view, emails and texts are better.

My VP and director text me why cant I text them?

That being said, if I dont get a response back I usually do two of the three methods.

Also if a company wanted to have a call off policy, im fine with that too.
Heck the teachers union is automated call off, you call, you get a machine, your put in your access code or say your name/scholl and your done. They are working on making it a Mobil app.

 

[Jerry]

Remember back in the day when people just showed up for work and there was no reason to worry about how to call out?

Yeah, me neither.

 

[tech30528]

Yep, have friends who do that all the time. No problem.

"All the time"? Maybe they should have that checked out. I've missed 2 days of work in the past 6 years.

Ok, as an employer I would not accept a text for someone not showing up. Although on the other side of that I did once text my office manager after a rare snow here in the mountains to let her know we were not going to be open that day, but she confirmed it with a return text.

 

[digsbe]

I have only had to call out once in my life. This was when my grandmother was dying in the hospital and they said she didn't have much time. We were going to have our last family day with her on a Saturday when I worked. I called my boss, explained the situation, and got his approval.

I think texting is extremely unprofessional and also unreliable. If I was a boss and I had an employee texting me as an attempt to call out I would probably write them off as "absent" and not give them approval. Although, I would also be up front when hiring them and telling them that if they need to call out they must literally "call out" and it must be approved, they wouldn't be allowed to call out for any reason.

 

[Cephus]

"All the time"? Maybe they should have that checked out. I've missed 2 days of work in the past 6 years.

Same here, I think I've missed 1 and went home sick once or twice in the last decade. Unfortunately, I have heard from employees that they consider sick days to be part of their compensation package, if they're allowed to have 5 sick days a year, they are going to take every last one of them because somehow, I owe it to them. Those people don't keep working for me very long.

 

[Thorgasm]

Yeah, where I work it's becoming a minor issue, with guys and gals either texting our supervisors (or texting our colleagues to tell our supervisors) that we're calling out - or texting out as it were. Official company policy is to actually dial the store phone number, talk to the manager on duty and let them know you can't come to work. Honestly though in my opinion, as long as the communication is timely and effective nothing else should really matter.

It's as bad as having your Mommy or Daddy call in for you. I did have that happen once legitimately because the girl had been shot by a stray bullet.

 

[ChrisL]

I have noticed a trend with young people. They seem to think it is acceptable to text their boss that they won't be able to come to work that day. It has always been my policy that they must call. What say you?

I don't think it should really matter, as long as they are letting you know, or if there is a stipulation in the way such things have to be communicated.

 

[OscarB63]

Remember back in the day when people just showed up for work and there was no reason to worry about how to call out?

Yeah, me neither.

I'm a bit older than you Jerry. I actually remember those days. the only excuse for missing work was if you were in the hospital or dead. I was TDY at Langley AFB and got bitten by a water moccasin one morning (we were building a road through a tidal swamp). Our LT was kind enough to give me the afternoon off. I was back at work the next morning.

When my father got ready to retire from public school, he had over 200 sick days built up. tacked it onto the end of his time and bagged an extra year credit for retirement

 

[Cephus]

I'm a bit older than you Jerry. I actually remember those days. the only excuse for missing work was if you were in the hospital or dead. I was TDY at Langley AFB and got bitten by a water moccasin one morning (we were building a road through a tidal swamp). Our LT was kind enough to give me the afternoon off. I was back at work the next morning.

Exactly. Some of us have this thing called a "work ethic". I know it's almost totally unknown today, but it actually did exist at one time.

 

[ChrisL]

Personally, I prefer to make any important calls (which a call to work would be) on my land line. I don't like to chance losing a connection or having a bad connection where you can't understand the person because their voice comes in and out. Unless I'm on the road and HAVE to use the cell, I actually prefer the land line because it's more reliable.

 

[molten_dragon]

I have noticed a trend with young people. They seem to think it is acceptable to text their boss that they won't be able to come to work that day. It has always been my policy that they must call. What say you?

I don't see a problem with it. At various times when I couldn't make it in I've texted, e-mailed, and called my boss, and he hasn't minded how I do it. As long as the information is conveyed, why does it matter how it's done?

 

[ChrisL]

I don't see a problem with it. At various times when I couldn't make it in I've texted, e-mailed, and called my boss, and he hasn't minded how I do it. As long as the information is conveyed, why does it matter how it's done?

My boss actually prefers e-mails. She NEVER answers her land line or cell phone for some strange reason.

 

[paris]

If it's the first time, it's best to let your boss call you, to know how much you are desired.

 

[sangha]

Exactly. Some of us have this thing called a "work ethic". I know it's almost totally unknown today, but it actually did exist at one time.

I've seen no evidence that there's been any decline in the % of the population who have a good work ethic.

This sounds like a "Get off my lawn!!" argument

 

[paris]

I'm a bit older than you Jerry. I actually remember those days. the only excuse for missing work was if you were in the hospital or dead. I was TDY at Langley AFB and got bitten by a water moccasin one morning (we were building a road through a tidal swamp). Our LT was kind enough to give me the afternoon off. I was back at work the next morning.

When my father got ready to retire from public school, he had over 200 sick days built up. tacked it onto the end of his time and bagged an extra year credit for retirement

You got bitten by a water moccasin? How very kafkaesque, that's a good reason to skip work.

 

[Jerry]

My boss actually prefers e-mails. She NEVER answers her land line or cell phone for some strange reason.

I'm like that with numbers I don't know, or if I straight up don't want to talk to you right now.