How to call in sick politely

To call in sick politely, keep it short: say you're unwell and won't be working, note what's covered or urgent, and send it early. You don't owe symptoms or an apology.

Calling in sick politely takes two sentences: you're unwell and won't be working today, and here's what's covered or can wait. You don't owe symptoms, proof, or an apology. Send it early, through whatever channel your team actually checks, then log off and rest.

6 polite ways to call in sick

Ordered from most gentle to most direct.

  1. 1.“I'm not feeling well today, so I'm taking a sick day. Nothing on my calendar can't move - I'll pick things up tomorrow.”
  2. 2.“I've come down with something and won't be working today. [Name] has context on [urgent item] if anything comes up.”
  3. 3.“I need to take today as a sick day. The only time-sensitive thing is [item] - could you cover it or push it?”
  4. 4.“Taking a sick day today - I want to be honest that I'd be useless in this state. Back tomorrow, I expect.”
  5. 5.“I'm signing off sick, effective now - I tried to push through the morning and shouldn't have.”
  6. 6.“I'm formally reporting a sick absence today, [date]. I'll follow whatever documentation process we need when I'm back.”

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Frequently asked questions

Do I need to explain my illness?
No. 'I'm unwell' or 'I'm sick' is sufficient in virtually every workplace, and health details are yours to keep private. Save specifics for HR paperwork if your company requires documentation for longer absences.
Should I call, text, or email in sick?
Use whatever your team treats as its real-time channel - for most workplaces now, a direct message to your manager beats a phone call. Send it as early as you can so coverage decisions can happen before the day starts.

More polite ways to say it