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Absentees are a constant headache for management and companies. They all understand that it is going to happen, but knowing this doesn't make it any easier. A missing employee still either needs to be replaced, or the other employees must make up for the missing one. Most employers also fully understand that a large percentage of people who call in sick, are not really sick.

There are several things that an employee should do and not do, when it comes to calling in sick, and many of these revolve around consideration for the management.

The first do is to know the call-in policies for your workplace. Very often there will be written rules regarding how soon before your shift you should call in, who should be contacted, and any special instructions that need to be followed. If there aren't any written regulations for this, either ask, or try to give the management adequate time to find a replacement to cover your shift.

Do consider your reasons for calling in sick. If you have legitimate reasons, call in with a clear conscience. If not, calling in is a very bad idea. Even worse, if you aren't really sick, go somewhere, and word gets back to your employer, you may find yourself having to explain your actions.

Do give your employer the respect and consideration that you want to receive. This is a sign of a good employee. Bad employees are pretty easy to come by. Good ones are a lot more rare. Employers know and understand this, and are usually a lot more apt to bend over backward to keep the good ones.

Do be as honest, upfront, and detailed as you can without going overboard. Calling in to say that you don't feel good has little meaning. Calling in to say that you can't keep anything on your stomach and that everything you eat or drink comes right back up, is explaining why you should not be working without being overly graphic. Calling in to say that you've thrown up 5 times in the last hour, on the other hand, is far more than most employers really want to know.

Do offer to make the time up. The employer may not take you up on it, but it does show sincerity. It also shows that you aren't just calling in to get out of working on a particular day.

Do sincerely apologize for the inconvenience. It IS inconvenient. Put yourself in the shoes of your employer, and try to empathize. It makes no difference if you like your job or not. A lot of people don't have jobs, so you are more fortunate than many. Let it show.

Don't set a pattern. If you call in every Saturday, for instance,

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