Rules of the game....Calling in sick

Let me start by saying that I have, on occasion, called in sick to work when I wasn't actually sick. Don't think I'm hypocritical, but there really are some ethics to be considered before you skip work for greener pastures.

First off, know who you're supposed to be working with. If say, we close together, and you ask me to work for you within 24 hours of your shift, and then you call in sick, there's a witness. Someone who, in theory, could tell management that you aren't sick.

Second, factor in how important you are. If you work in the B&N cafe, if you fake sick for work, you rock the entire store. The cafe will call booksellers up a lot, the closing process will be wicked F'd up, and no one is likely to get out by 11:30. If you're closing on the book floor and fake sick, you screw the closing manager AND the other closer. Have some respect for your fellow employees, ESPECIALLY if you broke the first rule.

Third, make sure your roommates are on the same page. If there is a miscommunication with management, make sure that if they call your home and you don't answer (less of a problem now in cell phone nation) that your roommate won't say that you're at the mall, or a friends place or wherever.

Don't be too specific when you call in. Don't use diarreah. It seldom works. No one who would think of using diarreah to call in will be able to pull it off. Just don't use it. Say your sick, and if someone presses, just say "I'm throwing up." Generally, that's the end of the argument. As in many things in life, KISS.

These are just some basic rules for calling in sick when you're not, and getting away with it. I'd just like to be perfectly clear that I DO NOT ENCOURAGE THIS KIND OF BEHAVIOR, that it is UNETHICAL and WRONG.

My final point, however, is never feel bad calling in sick if you are. I once got guilted into going to B&N sick when I could barely stand. It sucked, and I was never really thanked for the couple of hours I put in before I went back home to bed.

You know what really grinds my gears?

Here are some things I'm burning on right now:

GROUP PROJECTS: I'm too passive to immediately step in and take over a group. I'm too controlling to be happy with the work of others. I either have to mail it in and distance myself from the group as much as possible doing the bare minimum and praying that we'll do well, or I have to just take over and see to it that everything is done MY way.

ATTENDANCE POLICIES: To me, if you handle your business and do good work, and meet deadlines, it really shouldn't matter if you go to class. Granted, to do your work, to do it well and to have it in on time you generally have to be in class, if you can handle your business outside of class, more power to you.

The Minnesota Vikings and Mike Tice: There's a lot to say here. I'll save it for another post, probably for the second half of tommorow's game. In a nutshell: fire the whole staff, hire a disciplinarian and draft Lawrence Maroni. Maybe I'll spell his name right by draft day.

BARNES & NOBLE BOOKSELLERS: 5 years with the company, and I can't get 20 hours a week heading into the holiday season. So I get a second job at Target, thinking, this will be allright with the few hours I'm getting at B&N. And then it appears that my hours at B&N are being cut even more. It's too early to be sure, but these could be desperate financial times.

I really should be working on my group project now. I'm gonne get back to that.

PEACE