How to write a sick day email (keep it short)

A sick day email needs exactly four things: that you're unwell, whether you're off or partially available, what happens to your urgent work, and when you expect to be back. It does not need symptoms, medical detail, or apology spirals — "I'm unwell" is a complete medical disclosure for workplace purposes.

Send it as early as you can, through whatever channel your team actually watches in the morning (email plus a chat message is the safe combination).

Copy-paste templates

Standard one-day sick emailProfessional

Subject: Sick today — [Your name]

Hi [Name],

I'm unwell today and won't be working. I expect to be back tomorrow and will confirm in the morning.

For anything urgent: [colleague] has context on [current priority], and [meeting] can either go ahead without me or move to [day].

Thanks,
[Your name]

Multi-day illnessProfessional

Subject: Out sick — likely through [day]

Hi [Name],

I'm unwell and expect to be out through [day] — I'll update you if that changes.

Coverage while I'm off:
- [Task/deadline 1]: [status and who can pick it up]
- [Task/deadline 2]: [can wait until my return / needs reassigning]

I'll check messages briefly once a day for anything truly urgent, but otherwise I'll be resting so I can come back properly.

Thanks,
[Your name]

Unwell but partially workingFriendly

Subject: Under the weather — limited availability today

Hi [Name],

I'm feeling rough today, so I'm going to work at reduced capacity from home: I'll cover [the one or two essential things] and skip the rest.

I'll miss [meeting] — [colleague] can cover, or I'll catch up on notes. If I'm not better by tomorrow I'll take a proper sick day.

Thanks,
[Your name]

These templates are a starting point — your situation has its own details. Paste your own draft into our free tool and get it rewritten in the exact tone you need.

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Sick email rules

No symptom inventories. "I'm unwell" suffices; your manager does not need the gastrointestinal details, and HR would prefer not to have them in writing.
Don't over-apologize. Being sick is not a professional failure; one "thanks for understanding" at most.
Handle the handover in two lines, not two pages. Name the urgent items and who can cover; everything else waits.
Resist promising to "stay online just in case". Half-working while sick usually means healing slower and working badly — pick one.
Know your company's rules: some require notification by a specific time or a doctor's note after N days. The template doesn't override the policy.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to say what illness I have?

No. In most jurisdictions (including the EU and US) you are not required to disclose medical details to your manager — "I'm unwell and unable to work" is sufficient. A doctor's note, where required, goes to HR, not into your email.

Email, text, or call to report sick?

Whatever your team's norm is — the message must be seen before your workday starts. The robust default: an email for the record plus a chat message for visibility. A call is only expected in on-site shift work where cover must be arranged.

What if I get sick during my vacation?

In many countries (most of the EU, including Italy) sick days during annual leave can be reconverted to sick leave with a medical certificate. Email your manager as soon as it happens, not after you're back, and get the doctor's note dated correctly.