A third of US workers say they have called in sick with fake excuses at least once this year, according to a survey by Harris Interactive, the Rochester, New York-based market research firm.

One in ten said they skipped work to avoid a meeting, buy time on a project or avoid the ire of a boss or colleague, the survey found.

Other respondents cited a need to relax and recharge, visit a doctor, sleep, run errands, catch up on housework or spend time with family and friends.

Most employers in the survey said they typically did not question the reasons workers gave for being absent.

However, 31 percent said they have checked up on an employee who called in sick, and 18 percent have fired a worker for missing work without a legitimate excuse.

The nationwide poll was conducted online among 3,400 hiring managers and human resource professionals and 6,800 US full-time employees between August 21st and September 9th.

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