Sick Day Email: 7 Templates to Notify Your Manager

Taking a sick day is a normal part of work life, but knowing how to notify your manager professionally is important. Here are templates for different situations.

What to include in a sick day email

A good sick day email should include:

Essential elements:

• Clear statement that you're not feeling well
• That you won't be able to work (or will work from home if applicable)
• When you expect to return (if known)
• How to reach you for urgent matters (optional)

What to avoid:

• Detailed descriptions of your symptoms or illness
• Over-apologizing (it's okay to be sick)
• Promising to work when you should be resting
• Making excuses or lying about being sick

Professional tone:

• Keep it brief and professional
• Be honest but don't overshare
• Show consideration for your team
• Set appropriate boundaries

When to use each template

Simple and Direct: Use for most situations - brief and professional.

Standard Professional: Use when you want to be more detailed and show you're monitoring the situation.

With Work Coverage: Use when you've already arranged for someone to cover your work.

Multiple Days: Use when you expect to be out for more than one day.

Urgent Matters Only: Use when you're truly sick and need to rest, but want to be available for emergencies.

Remote Work Option: Use when you're not feeling well but can still work from home if needed.

With Apology: Use when you're giving short notice or feel bad about missing work (though you shouldn't feel obligated to apologize for being sick).

Best practices for sick days

Timing:

• Send the email as early as possible
• Before your normal start time if you wake up sick
• As soon as you realize you need to take a sick day

Communication:

• Be brief and professional
• Don't overshare details about your illness
• Set clear expectations about your availability
• Update your manager if your status changes

Work coverage:

• Arrange coverage for urgent tasks if possible
• Let your manager know who's covering
• Don't feel obligated to work when you're sick

Boundaries:

• It's okay to not check email when you're sick
• You don't need to work from home if you're unwell
• Rest is important for recovery

Common mistakes to avoid

Don't:

• Provide detailed descriptions of your symptoms
• Over-apologize for being sick
• Promise to work when you should be resting
• Lie about being sick (use PTO if you need a personal day)
• Feel guilty about taking a sick day

Do:

• Be honest and brief
• Set clear expectations about availability
• Arrange coverage if possible
• Focus on recovery
• Communicate updates if your status changes

Best Practices

• Send early: Notify your manager as early as possible
• Be brief: Keep the email short and professional
• Set boundaries: It's okay to rest and not check email
• Arrange coverage: Help with work coverage if possible
• Update as needed: Let your manager know if your status changes

Related Resources

For more guidance on professional email communication:

• Email to Your Boss Templates - Templates for communicating with your boss
• Professional Email Templates - Browse all professional templates
• Inbox Zero Guide - Learn email management strategies
• Gmail Filters & Labels - Organize your emails