To call in sick, tell your manager you are sick, that you are out for the day and when you will update them, as in "Hi Dana, I'm sick and won't be in today. I'll keep my phone on for anything urgent and update you tonight on tomorrow. Priya Nair can take the morning standup."
Sick is enough for the message, so you can leave symptoms out, and it goes out before your shift starts.
All 12 replies on this page
Type your details in the writer and every reply below fills itself in.
Professional 4
Hi [Manager's name], I'm sick and won't be in today. I'll keep my phone on for anything urgent and update you tonight on tomorrow. [Who can cover] can take the morning standup.
Text
Good morning [Manager's name]. I'm not well enough to work on [Day out], so I'm taking a sick day. My tasks for today can wait until [Back on]; I'll flag anything that can't.
Text
Sick day, [Day out]
Hi [Manager's name],
I'm unwell and won't be able to work on [Day out]. I don't have any deadlines today, and [Who can cover] has agreed to take my customer calls. I'll be resting and offline for most of the day, but I'll check email this evening and let you know whether I expect to be back tomorrow.
Best,
[Your name]
Email
Out sick, back [Back on]
Hi [Manager's name],
I'm out sick and plan to return on [Back on]. My open tickets are updated with notes, so anyone picking them up will know where things stand. I'll keep an eye on my phone for anything that only I can resolve.
Thank you,
[Your name]
Email
Warm 4
Hey [Manager's name], I woke up sick and need to stay home today. Really sorry about the timing. I'll rest up and let you know this evening how tomorrow looks.
Text
Hi [Manager's name], I'm not well enough to come in today, so I'm taking a sick day. [Who can cover] said they'd cover the client check-in, and I'll check in later.
Text
Staying home sick today
Hi [Manager's name],
I'm sick and staying home today. I'm sorry for the late notice. The slide deck is nearly done and saved in our team folder if anyone needs it before I'm back. I'll send you an update tonight about tomorrow.
Thanks for understanding,
[Your name]
Email
Taking a sick day
Hi [Manager's name],
I'm under the weather and need a sick day to recover. [Who can cover] kindly offered to cover the 10 o'clock meeting and will share notes afterward. I hope to be back on [Back on], and I'll tell you sooner if that changes.
Thanks so much,
[Your name]
Email
Brief 4
[Manager's name], I'm sick today and won't make it in. Back tomorrow if I'm better.
Text
Calling in sick today. [Who can cover] has my shift. I'll text you tonight about tomorrow.
Text
Out sick today
Hi [Manager's name], I'm out sick today. I'll check messages this evening and let you know about tomorrow.
Thanks,
[Your name]
Email
Sick day [Day out]
Hi [Manager's name], sick today, so I'm taking [Day out] off. [Who can cover] is covering my calls. Back on [Back on] if all goes well.
[Your name]
Email
What to leave out
Symptoms. "Sick" or "not well" is the whole explanation a manager needs.
Over-apologizing. One sorry is polite; three reads as guilt.
A return date you cannot know. Say when you will update them instead.
Offering to work through it unless you really can. A half-day promise turns a sick day into a bad workday.
Proof nobody asked for, like photos or screenshots of appointments.
Filling it in
Choose text or email and fill in your manager's name; add a return date only if you are confident of it, otherwise pick a message that promises an update tonight. If someone is covering a meeting or a shift, add their name so your manager does not have to arrange it.
Questions people ask
What should I say when calling in sick?
Say that you are sick, that you will not be working today, and when you will update your manager, then name anyone covering urgent work. That is the whole message. Leave out symptoms; "sick" or "not feeling well" is enough for a manager to plan the day.
Should I call or text when I am sick?
Use whatever your team normally uses for urgent messages, unless your workplace policy names a specific method. A text is quick and leaves a record of the time you sent it. If your manager prefers calls, a short text saying you will call shortly is a reasonable first step on a bad morning.
To
Everyone leaving soon
From
Department of Being Elsewhere
Re
Before you go
The auto reply is one of five things. The other four take about ten minutes and prevent most of the emails you will read when you get back.