Absences, Tardiness and Excuses

We've all made up one or two excuses why we're late to work....I just wasn't "feelin' it" this morning.....I was up all night arguing with God...a raccoon stole my work shoe off my porch. Perpetual lateness can be problematic in the workplace. In fact, Twenty percent of workers said they arrive late to work at least once a week, according to a February 2009 CareerBuilder.com survey of more than 8,000 workers. Twelve percent said they are late at least twice a week.But how do you deal with being late can make the difference in keeping your job or getting a pink slip. Know your employers Policy! Make sure you follow protocol as to who receives the message. If there's no policy, ask questions before the inevitable. Typically, the answering machine is NOT the best medium... find a reliable human being. If you're going to be late -Call Ahead...Give an ETA ..Call in and leave a message with the receptionist, or co-worker, if that is acceptable. Make sure you follow protocol as to who receives the message. Follow employer guidelines regarding tardiness,but remember excessive or perpetual lateness can result in losing your job! Problems arise when your employer has an important deadline and is expecting you. If your excuse is legitimate, you still may need a note. An employer can fire you for lateness or absenteeism as long as they don't violate your federal or state protected rights. Normally, however, the employer will give you a warning before you're discharged, allowing you to straighten up your act, but it's certainly not required. So before you say, "my route to work was cut off by a presidential motorcade", buy two alarm clocks, and prioritize...after all, if you don't get to work, you don't pay the bills.