GoKawiilSurvey finds half of pet-owning employees lie to take time off for pets
A new survey finds that roughly half of pet owners who take time off work to care for their animals do not tell their employer the real reason, instead inventing other excuses. The findings point to pet care as a routine but often concealed cause of absenteeism.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The prevalence of such cover stories could suggest employees feel their workplaces lack sufficiently flexible or understanding leave policies for pet-related needs, according to the survey's framing. It may also indicate broader discomfort among workers about being honest with managers over how they use time off, which could point to deeper trust gaps in workplace culture.
- About half of surveyed pet owners admit to lying about taking leave to care for pets.
- The behavior suggests existing leave policies may not explicitly accommodate pet care.
- The finding raises questions about trust and transparency between employees and employers.
Source: fastcompany.com, 2026-10-21
Published there as: “Half of this group of workers lies to take PTO”
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