1.   CCH Inc. of Riverwoods, Ill., a publisher of tax and business information, reports annually on unscheduled absence trends and responses among U.S. employers.

2.   Companies can take several steps to alleviate stress and unscheduled absences.

3.   For some people, unscheduled absences are an anomaly.

4.   For those organizations, the best way to cope with absenteeism is to create programs that cut down on unscheduled absences.

5.   Instead of unscheduled absences, we require that workers call in advance and schedule the day off.

6.   Just two years ago, nearly half of all unscheduled absences were for personal illness.

7.   That lack of knowledge has helped generate a cottage industry of consultants who help employers minimize the costs of unscheduled absences.

8.   The Bureau of National Affairs Inc. tracks monthly unscheduled absence rates.

9.   These sorts of plans provide employees with greater flexibility and seem to help employers cut down on unscheduled absences, according to Saka.

10.   Unscheduled absences for reasons other than illness have been increasing in recent years.