Do text messages make it easier

[Chuck C]

...for people to miss work? When you don't have to talk to your boss face to face but can just shoot a text off, is it easier to get away with a little fib and go fishing instead?

 

[fredjr82]

I would think email would be the preferred method of interacting with your boss on a non face-to-face basis. I have my boss's cell phone number but I can't remember the last time I texted him.

 

[nowalkin]

Only poors have bosses

 

[MN.HAWK]

As the boss, it also gives me a paper trail if I find out later you did go fishing on that day. What time it came in, how often a person texts in sick or late.
It has helped me in one unemployment case where the filing employee was claiming he gave enough notice and was told "come in or don't bother coming back". I copied all tests to email then to a word document, and had it available for unemployment hearing. He tried to deny it, but the time stamp of the texts, and him not having any texts of me saying anything like "come today or don't bother coming back", as well as copies of schedules of when he was supposed to work, pretty much made it easy for the person making the decision to decide he was full of it and realize he quit the job and wasn't fired unjustly as he was claiming.

 

[HawkFantastic]

I have called and text both. If I'm running late or leaving work for a few minutes, I typically text. The rare times I need to miss work I call. I'm in I.T. and have pretty free reign.

 

[naturalmwa]

Only poors have bosses

This

When I did have a boss however I never gave an excuse. I just called up and said I can't come in today and needed to use one of my allowed instances. There's no need to fake an illness or come up with an elaborate story. If they ask why (which I have heard is illegal) just tell them its personal.

 

[dandh]

This

When I did have a boss however I never gave an excuse. I just called up and said I can't come in today and needed to use one of my allowed instances. There's no need to fake an illness or come up with an elaborate story. If they ask why (which I have heard is illegal) just tell them its personal.

It's definitely not illegal to ask why an employee can't come to work.