Supervisors beware—an Oklahoma company has taken fake excuses to a new level.
The Excused Absence Network produces software templates to create legitimate-looking excuse notes that appear to come from local doctors and hospitals, available for purchase for about $25. Other forms offered include a phony jury summons and funeral notices.
While the company’s disclaimer states the notes are “for entertainment purposes only,” at least one customer did not take the warning to heart. The Associated Press reported that a New Jersey woman was arrested after using one of the company’s notes to avoid an appearance in traffic court.
A CCH survey found an unscheduled absenteeism rate of 2.3% for 2007, down from 2.5% in 2006, though there were no exact figures on the cost of fake absences to companies.
— Joseph T. Wells, CPA, CFE