How many days of work have you missed this year?

Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
How to Answer
Answer Example
Community Answers

Your interviewer is curious how you'll react to this question. So, what matters when answering is the context of your answer. As they advise on their website, "Be transparent. We do our due diligence, so stretching the truth or withholding vital information will go poorly for you. If you ever have any sticking points, be upfront and we'll work through them."

The aim of your answer should be to showcase how reliable you are as an employee, and that your work ethic guides you to always support the rest of your team. So, if there were instances where you experienced an emergency or were ill, feel free to share it, within reason. If you were sick with Covid or the flu, that's acceptable. But calling off repeatedly and taking long weekends would pose a red flag.

"In years past, I have had a strong record for not being out of work at all, aside from scheduled time off. However, this last year I was out a bit. I had a bad case of COVID-19 where I had to quarantine for a while. Then, while my immunity was still low, I came down with a pretty bad case of the flu. Then a few months later, I injured my back at work and was prescribed two weeks of bed rest. As I said, an unusual year, and not a single incident since."

Anonymous Answer

"I've had to call off from work for a couple of days a few years back, thanks to a nasty case of the flu. Since then, I have never missed a flu shot. When I did have to call off, I informed not only my manager, but the team I was a part of as well, and our project manager."