To call in sick, tell your manager as early as you can, in the way your workplace asks, and keep it to three things: you are unwell and cannot work today, when you expect to be back or when you will update them, and anything urgent that needs covering. Two or three sentences. You do not need to list symptoms, prove how ill you are, or apologise more than once.
How you must report sickness, and whether you need a doctor's note, depends on your contract and the rules where you work, so check your handbook.
What to say
- You are unwell and not working today. Say it in the first line. "I'm not well and won't be able to work today."
- How long. Your best guess, or when you will be in touch again. "I hope to be back tomorrow and I'll let you know by 5pm."
- What needs covering. A meeting to move, a deadline at risk, a shift to fill, where the file is. Only the urgent things.
- Whether you can be reached. Optional. It is fine to say you will be resting and offline.
A general reason is usually enough for the first message: "unwell", "a stomach bug", "a migraine". If your employer needs more, they will ask.
Text, email or phone
Use whichever your workplace says. If it says nothing, go by what your manager would see first.
| How | Best when | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Phone call | Shift work, where someone has to find cover fast, or when the handbook says to call | Call before the shift, not at its start. If there is no answer, leave a voicemail and follow it with a text. |
| Text or chat message | Your manager normally messages you and would see it straight away | Send it to your manager, not only to a colleague or the group chat. |
| Office jobs, and whenever other people need to know about meetings and deadlines | Put "sick today" and your name in the subject line so it is not missed. |
Whichever you use, send it before your working day starts if you can.
Examples
A text to your manager
Hi Carla, I've woken up with a fever and won't be able to work today. I'll let you know by this evening whether I'll be in tomorrow. Nothing urgent on my side except the 2pm supplier call, which Jamal can take.
For a shift job
Hi Dev, it's Rosa. I'm sorry for the short notice, but I've been sick through the night and can't do my 7am shift. I've asked in the group chat if anyone can swap, and I'll tell you as soon as someone says yes. I expect to be fine for Thursday.
An email for an office job
Subject: Sick today, Neil Ashby
Hi Fiona,
I'm unwell and won't be working today. I hope to be back tomorrow and will confirm by the end of the day.
Two things to know. The budget review at 11 can go ahead without me, and my notes are in the shared folder. The client report is due on Thursday and is still on track.
I'll be offline and resting, so please phone if something can't wait.
Thanks,
Neil
On the phone
Say the same three things out loud, and stop. You do not have to sound ill.
"Hi Marie, it's Owen. I'm not well this morning and I can't come in. I think it's a day or two, and I'll ring you tomorrow before eight to tell you either way. The delivery paperwork for today is on my desk in the blue folder."
If it goes to voicemail, leave that as the message, say what time you called, and send a text to say you have left one.
When you need more than a day
Hi Carla, I'm still not right, and the doctor has told me to rest until Friday. I expect to be back on Monday. I'll send you whatever paperwork you need. Could someone pick up next week's rota? It's half done in the shared drive.
When you need a day for your mental health
You can keep it as general as any other sick day.
Hi Bea, I'm not well enough to work today and need to take a sick day. I expect to be back tomorrow. My afternoon meeting with the design team will need to move, and I'll rearrange it when I'm in.
When you could work, but should not come in
Morning Anneke, I've got a heavy cold. I'm well enough to work but I'd rather not bring it into the office, so I'll work from home today if that's all right. I'll be on as normal from nine.
When your child is ill
Hi Carla, my daughter has been up all night with a temperature and can't go to nursery, so I need to be at home with her today. I'll check messages at lunchtime, and I'll know by tonight whether I need tomorrow as well.
Time off to look after someone else may count as a different kind of leave from your own sickness, so check how your workplace records it.
What to leave out
- Details of the illness. "A stomach bug" is enough. Nobody needs the night described.
- A string of apologies. One "sorry for the short notice" is polite. Five sound like you are asking permission to be ill.
- "I'll try to come in later." It leaves your manager unable to plan. Say you are off, and update them if that changes.
- An offer to stay online that you cannot keep. If you are ill enough to be off, rest.
- A message sent only to a colleague. Tell the person who is responsible for cover.
- A made-up reason. A plain "I'm unwell" is true, short and needs no story to keep straight.
While you are off, and when you are back
If you said you would update someone by a certain time, do it, even if the update is "no change". If people outside your team write to you, set an automatic reply on your email. There is wording for one in how to write an out of office message.
On your first day back, one line is enough: "I'm back today, thanks for covering the supplier call." Then ask what you missed.
Writing it with Hemmingway
If you are too ill to think about wording, the sick day email generator does it from a few facts: who it is to, that you are off, how long you expect, and what needs covering. Hemmingway writes one short message from those, and it uses only what you tell it, so no symptoms or reasons appear that you did not give.
Read it once before you send it, and check the day and the names. It writes the message. It does not send it, and it cannot tell you what your contract says about sick leave. For other work emails there is a general AI email writer, and how to write a professional email covers the basics.
Try HemmingwayDownload the app
Common questions
What do you say when calling in sick?
Say that you are unwell and cannot work today, when you expect to be back or when you will update them, and anything urgent that needs covering. For example: "I'm not well and won't be in today. I'll let you know by this evening about tomorrow. Jamal can take the 2pm call."
Is it OK to call in sick by text?
It depends on your workplace. Some ask for a phone call, especially for shift work, and some are happy with a text or an email. Check your handbook, and if it says nothing, use whatever your manager will see first.
Do I have to say what is wrong with me?
A general reason such as "unwell" or "a stomach bug" is normally enough for the first message. What your employer can ask for, and when a doctor's note is needed, depends on your contract and the rules where you work, so check your handbook.
How early should I call in sick?
As soon as you know you cannot work, and before your working day or shift starts if you can. For shift work, the earlier the better, because someone has to find cover.
How do I call in sick for a mental health day?
The same way as for any other illness: say you are not well enough to work today and when you expect to be back. You can keep the reason general. If you need more than a day or two, or it keeps happening, it is worth talking to your manager, HR or a doctor about what support there is.