The template:

Hi [Manager] — out sick today. Will check Slack if anything's urgent. Back tomorrow.

That's the whole message. Below is how to nuance it.

When to send

  • Before your shift starts. 6-8am for a 9am start.
  • Earlier the better — gives your manager time to plan coverage.
  • Within your team's norm — text, Slack, email, or call.

What to include

  • Notification: "Out today" or "Won't be in today."
  • Reason (optional): "stomach bug" / "migraine" / "family emergency."
  • Coverage: "Will be on Slack if urgent" or "X is covering my meetings."
  • Return: "Back tomorrow."

That's it.

Channel norms

  • Slack / Teams: modern, fast-paced offices. Standard.
  • Email: also fine for most offices.
  • Phone call: traditional industries, healthcare, hospitality.
  • Text: acceptable for managers you have a casual relationship with.

When in doubt, match what others on your team do.

What to avoid

  • Long explanations. Sounds rehearsed.
  • Multiple texts apologizing. Sounds anxious.
  • Posting on social media during the "sick" day.
  • Calling out repeatedly the same way — patterns get noticed.

When you genuinely need to call out

  • You're sick.
  • You're burned out.
  • A real emergency happened.
  • You haven't taken time off in months.

Don't feel guilty about real time off. Companies expect occasional absences.

When the issue is the job

If you're calling out frequently, the issue probably isn't your motivation — it's the role. Sorce auto-applies to 5M+ jobs. 40 free swipes/day. The right move might be a different job, not better excuses.

For more: calling in sick, reasons to call out of work, bulletproof excuses to get out of work.