Quick + Easy Sick Day Email Templates for Every Scenario

Quick + Easy Sick Day Email Templates for Every Scenario

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Check Your Company's Protocol Around Sick Leave and Time Off

Most companies provide a certain number of paid sick days each year; however, you might have to accrue the time first before you have it to use.  While you're figuring that out, check to see if you need to follow a specific company policy or if there are any sick leave policies in place. Do you just need to email your boss? Do you need to email a 

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Check Your Company's Protocol Around Sick Leave and Time Off

certain email address, which goes to your whole team? Do they require a doctor's note? Check your employee handbook and if you don't have anything "official" you need to follow, move to the next step!

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Write a Brief Straightforward Email Subject Line

Think “Sick Day” at smaller companies or “Your Name — Sick Day” for larger corporations.

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Let Them Know How Available You’ll Be

Thanks to advances in technology, it’s entirely possible you might check your email from home periodically throughout your sick day. Or maybe you’re capable of working from home and not taking a sick day at all. Then again, you might be in a dazed, cold medicine-induced stupor. If you’re too sick to check email, say so. If you’re 

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Let Them Know How Available You’ll Be

planning on checking, let them know. You can also tell them that you’ll email them later if your condition worsens and you decide to stop checking your inbox.

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Say Whether It’s Paid or Unpaid

This is especially true of hourly jobs or positions at large companies. Let your boss know whether this is coming out of your accrued sick leave, PTO, or if it will be considered unpaid leave. If you happen to be at a company that distinguishes between personal days, vacation days, and sick days, you’ll want to state which of 

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Say Whether It’s Paid or Unpaid

those you’re using as well. If you're a part-time employee who needs to find coverage for your shift, mention the co-worker who will be covering for you. If you are too sick to get coverage, make sure to email your manager ASAP so that they may find someone to work.

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Give Clear “Next Steps” on Whatever You’re Working On

If you have meetings scheduled, let your employer know that you’re planning on rescheduling (or that you’ll contact someone to run the meeting for you). Deadlines on projects? Let them know where those stand. If you’ve got someone on the team who can cover your clients or assignments for you, let your boss know who.

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Give Clear “Next Steps” on Whatever You’re Working On

If you need them to cover you while you’re out, ask.

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