More Americans using Late Excuses

It’s hard to be on time 100% of the time but a new CareerBuilder.com survey found more than a quarter of workers admit that they’re late at least once a month, and 16% are late at least once a week. CareerBuilder’s Jennifer Grasz says that to avoid being late, you should prepare what you need in advance. “I think a lot of it also goes back to just getting organized.  Lay your clothes out the night before, pack your lunch, and fill up your car the night before, so everything is ready to go.” Grasz says that some workers who know they cannot get in by a certain time try to make other arrangements. “We do see more of them asking for flexible work arrangements, asking for telecommuting options, so they’ve got that better balance and they are not racing to get in the door every day.” The survey found some crazy excuses, says Grasz. “One of the employees had dropped her purse in a coin operated newspaper box and couldn’t retrieve it without the change, which was in the purse.” Grasz gives some more outrageous excuses bosses hear. “There was another employee that accidentally left the apartment with his roommate’s girlfriend’s shoes on, had to go back to change.  There was another employee who mentioned that his wife was angry with him and she had frozen his truck keys in a glass of water. Another employee that got a late start because she was putting a raincoat on her cement duck in her front yard.  She wanted the duck to be fashionable for the rain that was expected later that day.” The study concludes that some excuses seem farfetched, such as a guy who said his car was attacked by a bear. Turns out that was true and the employee had photos to prove it.  To read the complete survey, visit www.CareerBuilder.com.