A practical guide for hourly employees and managers: how and when to report a sick day, what to say, sample messages and your rights under paid sick leave laws.
Check your employer’s call-out policy, usually in the handbook or attendance policy. It typically says who to contact, how (phone, text or app) and how far ahead of the shift. Following the process protects you: a sick day reported correctly is treated very differently from a missed shift with no notice. If you are not sure, ask now, before you are sick.
As early as possible. If you wake up sick before a morning shift, contact your manager as soon as you know you cannot work. Many employers ask for notice a set time before the shift, such as two hours, so they can find cover. If you become sick during a shift, tell the shift lead or manager before you leave. Some paid sick leave laws limit how much advance notice an employer can require when the need is unforeseeable, so if you could not give notice earlier, explain briefly when you can.
You generally do not need to explain your symptoms or diagnosis. “I’m sick” or “I’m unwell” is usually enough. If your employer has a formal leave process for longer absences, it may ask for more information or documentation later.
Text or app message: “Hi Maria, I’m sick and won’t be able to work my 7:00 to 3:00 shift today. I’d like to use a sick day. I’ll update you by 6:00 p.m. about tomorrow. The bread delivery is due at 9:00 and the invoice is in the office tray.”
Phone call: “Hi Maria, it’s Jordan. I’m calling to let you know I’m sick and can’t come in for my shift today. I’ll use a sick day if that’s okay. I’ll let you know tonight about tomorrow.”
Child is sick: “Hi Maria, my son is sick and I need to stay home with him today, so I’ll miss my 10:00 to 6:00 shift. I’d like to use sick time for this. I’ll update you this evening.”
Leaving during a shift: “Maria, I’m feeling really unwell and need to go home. The register is counted and Sam knows about the 3:00 pickup.”
There is no general federal law requiring private employers to give paid sick leave. But a growing number of states and cities have paid sick leave laws, and many employers offer sick days as a benefit. These laws typically let employees use sick time for their own illness or care, a family member’s illness or care and sometimes safety-related reasons, and they often limit documentation requirements for short absences and protect employees from retaliation for using sick leave. The details differ widely; check your state labor law page or your state labor agency.
For a serious health condition, the Family and Medical Leave Act may give eligible employees unpaid, job-protected leave. See our FMLA guide.
Whether you need a doctor’s note depends on your employer’s policy and the law where you work. Many paid sick leave laws limit when employers can ask for documentation, often only after a certain number of consecutive days. If your employer requires a note, ask what it must include; usually it only needs to confirm that you were unable to work, not your diagnosis.
Make calling in sick simple and judgment-free. A clear, easy process gets you earlier notice, which is what you need to find cover. Respond with a short acknowledgment, not questions about symptoms. Record the absence correctly as sick time so it is not counted against the employee under your attendance policy where the law protects it. Have a plan for cover: a list of employees who want extra hours, open shifts and cross-training. Our guide on handling call-outs covers the manager’s side in detail, and reducing absenteeism covers patterns.
In EZTime, employees can report absences and request sick time from the mobile app, so the message reaches the right manager with a time stamp. Managers see the gap in the schedule, can post an open shift and approve sick time so it appears on the timecard and in balances. Attendance records then show sick days separately from unexcused absences.
You do not need to give medical details. If your workplace requires a note for longer absences, the policy will say so. See paid sick leave laws by state.
Thank the employee, confirm the shift, and avoid asking for medical details you do not need. Then focus on cover: check your on-call list, offer the shift to volunteers and adjust tasks. Record the absence correctly as sick time. If one team gets many sick calls, look at workload and schedules before assuming abuse. See handling employee sick calls and sick leave accrual calculator.
Tick each step you have done.
0 of 6. Your manager may be left guessing. Add the missing details now.
Say you are sick and cannot work, which shift you will miss and when you will update your manager. You generally do not need to share medical details.
Use whatever your employer’s policy requires. If it allows texts or app messages, those create a record of when you reported.
Follow your policy, as early as possible. Some paid sick leave laws limit notice requirements when illness is unforeseeable.
It depends on your state and the circumstances. Many paid sick leave laws protect employees from retaliation for using sick leave. FMLA may protect longer absences.
It depends on your employer’s policy and local law. Many sick leave laws limit documentation for short absences.
Many paid sick leave laws allow sick time for a family member’s illness or care. Check your state or city law and employer policy.
EZTime’s digital HR forms collect e-signatures and keep the signed copy in the employee’s digital file, with reminders before a document expires. See current plans and what each one includes on the pricing page.