How to pull a sickie

On the face of it, we're a poorly lot: according to the Office for National Statistics, UK workers missed 131 million work days between us last year through sickness.

It's a fair bet, though, that not all of those people were exactly at death's door. Some will have been hungover, some sneaking off for a job interview and some watching sport on the telly.

As Jon Andrews, head of human resources consulting at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), says: "The combination of major sporting events such as the World Cup and Wimbledon may mean that the temptation to lie to take time off work to watch sport is too much for some."

PwC's research shows that hangovers were the top reason for pulling a sickie, followed by sporting events and simply being bored with the job. Some will have been looking after children: almost a fifth of parents called in sick last year in order to cope with childcare during the six week summer holiday, says the Family and Childcare Trust.

Obviously - obviously! - pulling a sickie if you're not really ill is always A Bad Thing. But, if you really must do it, there are a few points to bear in mind...

Make sure your excuse is scientifically possible

Don't, as one person in PwC's research did, claim you're going through the menopause if you're male. Nor, like another, should you claim your mother has died - for the second time. At least one worker in the US has taken time off work after claiming to have been abducted by aliens, another said he was hiding from a hitman, and a third that he was afraid of the ghosts outside his room.

Make it serious enough...

Plausibility isn't the only issue; you'll also need your boss to agree that you couldn't possibly work under the circumstances. PwC cites the worker who "had a sore finger", while Careerbuilder.com points to the staff member who "had to take his mother shopping" and the worker who "had a nightmare and felt out of sorts".

...but not too serious

Ideally, you want your absence to go unremarked. Claiming that you've been attacked by a shark, as one US worker did, is unlikely to pass under the radar, and might lead to a few unwelcome questions - like "can we see the scar?", for a start. Equally, if like another US worker you explain that you couldn't get in because your foot was stuck in the toilet, you'd better not expect it to be forgotten any time soon.

Plan in advance

Flu doesn't generally appear overnight from nowhere: it's a good idea to work up to things over a couple of days with a spot of coughing, an exhausted demeanour and maybe a little talcum powder on the cheeks. And don't come back to work with a tan - unless you're claiming to have jaundice, of course.

Don't leave a trail

Countless employees around the world have been caught out after pretending to be sick and then spending all day posting on Facebook - sometimes, from a sporting event or the beach. Some are caught out even more dramatically - such as Amy McIntosh, who got into hot water with her boss at the Woodlands Day Nursery after calling in sick with tonsillitis. Unfortunately, her cover was blown when she was spotted on television taking part in the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony, dressed as a Tunnock's tea cake.

According to jobs website Careerbuilder.com, a third of employers really do check up on absent staff. Of these, two thirds demand a doctor's note, and half phone the employee at home. One in five checks the employee's social media posts, and 15 percent go so far as to drive past the employee's house - so no barbecues on the front lawn, okay?

Don't expect to enjoy it

You'll feel guilty - you may be landing your colleagues with extra work. And if not, then you'll have to catch up when you get back. You'll be stuck in the house with nothing to do - no Facebook, remember - and when you do go back you'll have a day or two of anxiety while you wonder: "Has the boss guessed I'm a skiver?" It could all be enough to make you ill...

Careerbuilder's top excuses of 2014

- Employee's false teeth flew out the window while driving down the motorway
- Employee's favorite football team lost on Sunday so needed Monday to recover
- Employee was quitting smoking and was grouchy
- Employee said that someone glued her doors and windows shut so she couldn't leave the house to come to work
- Employee bit her tongue and couldn't talk
- Employee claimed a swarm of bees surrounded his vehicle and he couldn't make it in
- Employee said the chemical in turkey made him fall asleep and he missed his shift
- Employee felt like he was so angry he was going to hurt someone if he came in
- Employee received a threatening phone call from the electricity company and needed to report it to the FBI
- Employee needed to finish Christmas shopping
- Employee's fake eye was falling out of its socket
- Employee got lost and ended up in another state
- Employee couldn't decide what to wear

Read more on AOL Money:

Workers face health assessments if they are sick for more than a month

Two-thirds 'have worked while ill'

EU ruling means holiday sick time could be claimed back