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Just curious has anyone ever been late to work due to traffic reasons? is it a good excuse?
What if an accident happens on the road, you forgot something at home, or maybe you need to go to the DMV real quick?
I work in Seattle with some of the worst traffic in the USA.
Thankfully it's a 6-2:30pm schedule so I go in before rush hour and go home before rush hour.
Generally, I don't have traffic problems... when I do run into the overturned semi or when there's a wreck caused by one of the many millions of people in this state who for whatever reason can't drive on damp roads... I just call my boss and it's never a problem. (I'm not kidding... I've seen 8 wrecks in a 3 mile stretch on I-5 on a rainy day)
I'm late 5-10 minutes a few times a month... nothing is ever said about it. It probably has a lot to do with me being here every day... Working for people that are laid back and don't watch you with binoculars and monitor your attendance with a magnifying glass is why I've been here 2 years and don't plan on going anywhere.
As someone who employs 70 people, I would first ask:
- Does the person get their work done on time and consistently hit deadlines?
If the answer is yes, then I don't give a ****.
It really depends on the job. As somebody up thread mentioned, if you are the guy with the keys who opens the bank, you better not be late. Schoolteachers also come to mind as a group where it would be critical for them to be on time.
Other jobs it would matter much less. I can only assume that the OP holds a job where the boss does care, otherwise why start the thread?
Just curious has anyone ever been late to work due to traffic reasons? is it a good excuse?
What if an accident happens on the road, you forgot something at home, or maybe you need to go to the DMV real quick?
Any excuse if good if it used rarely. No excuse is good if it is used regularly.
No excuse is valid over and over. Occasionally being latebbecause of extreme traffic can be unavoidable in some parts of the country. I usually have a 25 minute commute but occasionally it takes me over 90 minutes. I am not leaving myself 65 minutes of cushion every day, though I do on days with an 8am meeting.
I agree - to leave too much of a cushion would get you to work too early on most days. I would allow myself an extra 15 minutes when I lived on Long Island. If there wasn't horrible traffic one day I would stop in at the deli for a bagel and tea.
OP - However if you live somewhere that has horrible traffic you need to start leaving earlier so you are not late every single day. A serious traffic accident is one thing, normal rush hour traffic is not a good excuse after you've used it a couple of times. If I was the boss and someone was late regularly because of "traffic" I would tell them to leave home earlier!
Leave a little cushion so it doesn't happen every day, but jeeze..... stuff happens. A wreck on a highway or something can be an hour delay. So of course it is a good excuse if its pretty infrequent.
Just curious has anyone ever been late to work due to traffic reasons? is it a good excuse?
What if an accident happens on the road, you forgot something at home, or maybe you need to go to the DMV real quick?
Only if it happens once in a blue moon is it an excuse. If it happens repeatedly, it is the employee's fault for failing to leave soon enough to account for delays.
"Once in a blue moon" = once or twice a year, tops. Preferably less.
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