It’s February – one of the most popular months to call in sick to work. And I guess that’s not surprising. People are more likely to get a cold or the flu during the winter. But viruses might not be the only reason why people are calling in sick. According to a recent survey by CareerBuilder.com, 38% of people who call in sick are actually perfectly healthy.

So why didn’t these healthy people want to go to work? Most reported that they just didn’t feel like it, or they needed a rest. And the most common excuse that these people gave their bosses was a simple, “I’m sick.”

A simple excuse is probably best. But some people got a little more creative. Managers who were surveyed were asked to submit some of the most memorable excuses that they’ve received. Here are the top 10:

  1. Employee claimed his grandmother poisoned him with ham.
  2. Employee was stuck under the bed.
  3. Employee broke his arm reaching to grab a falling sandwich.
  4. Employee said the universe was telling him to take a day off.
  5. Employee’s wife found out he was cheating. He had to spend the day retrieving his belongings from the dumpster.
  6. Employee poked herself in the eye while combing her hair.
  7. Employee said his wife put all his underwear in the washer.
  8. Employee said the meal he cooked for a department potluck didn’t turn out well.
  9. Employee was going to the beach because the doctor said she needed more vitamin D.
  10. Employee said her cat was stuck inside the dashboard of her car.

These excuses actually seem pretty legitimate to me! Who would make these things up? But it seems that a sizable percentage of employers aren’t as trusting as I am.

Survey results indicate that 32% of managers check their sick employees’ social media accounts to see if there’s any evidence that they aren’t really sick. So if you’re home sick, but feeling basically OK, you should still restrain yourself from posting a picture of you dancing around or playing badminton in the backyard. A picture of a mug of tea, a box of Kleenex, and your sad face would probably be a better choice!