Anytime you need to call out you should give your supervisor as much notice as possible before your shift begins, when possible you should contact your employer at least 2 hours before your shift so that they can plan and prepare for your absence.
When to Call in Sick. You should ask for sick leave as soon as you know you need it. For example, you could notify your team several weeks in advance if you've had surgery scheduled. Or, in cases where you can feel the flu coming a day before it starts, you can call in sick as a precautionary measure.
In general, you should call in sick as early as possible, to give your employer as much time as possible to find a replacement.
Call as Soon as Possible
Let your boss know about your illness as soon as possible. If you are feeling ill the night before and know you won't make it in to work, you can send your boss a message that evening. Otherwise, tell your boss first thing in the morning.
1. Call in early, communicate clearly. You do not have to leave a voicemail for your boss at 5 a.m., but do get your absence on the record before 8 a.m. so plans can be put in place for your absence. Unless you are contagious, do not call in sick the day of a big presentation, meeting or important event at work.
It is unlawful for any commercial telephone seller or salesperson to make a commercial telephone solicitation phone call before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. local time at the called person's location.
Stay in the Safe Zone
As an easy boundary, it's always considerate to wait until at least 9 a.m. to start dialing up. That gives plenty of time for people to wake up, complete a morning routine, and be ready for discourse.
If you can tell your boss that you will be taking a sick day the night before, or even as you are leaving the office, then do so. Otherwise, call, email or text first thing in the morning. This will allow them sufficient time to reassign your workload or arrange cover.
Yes, you should apologize for any inconvenience caused by your calling in sick. This will demonstrate to your team and your boss that you are appreciative and you are responsible.
The best last-minute excuses to miss work include personal illness, family emergency, doctor's appointments, child care, mental health challenges, death of a loved one, and household problems. In fact, any unforeseen circumstance that requires your attention is among the best last-minute excuses to miss work.
Calling off work can exasperate your boss, but performing well on your return will alleviate any frustration they may feel. It's okay to fake sick every once in a while, but if you get into the habit of slacking off in general, then your job may be in jeopardy.
If you're experiencing chronic insomnia and you repeatedly feel unable to work because of sleepiness then it's perfectly justifiable to take sick leave. Your employer may expect you to be actively seeking treatment for you sleep problems or for the medical conditions that may be disturbing you sleep.
If your temperature is anything higher than 100 degrees F, you shouldn't go to work and expose everyone else to your illness. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends staying home for at least 24 hours after a fever this high is gone.
I'm messaging you to let you know that I'm not feeling well today, so I need to take a sick day to rest and recover. I hope I'll get back to work tomorrow. I am supposed to join a meeting with Maria and Susan later today, but I'll ask them if we can reschedule it.
I have woken up with a high fever and cough this morning, so I'll have to take a sick day. I will keep you posted on my recovery. Thanks in advance for your understanding.
Yes, you can call out right before your shift, but it is not ideal. It is best to give your employer as much notice as possible if you need to call out of your shift. Depending on the company's policy, you may need to provide a doctor's note if you call out for your shift close to the start time.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a fever is at least 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or 38 degrees Celsius. If you have flu-like symptoms, the CDC recommends that you stay home for at least a day after your fever is gone, except to get medical attention or take care of necessities.
“Hey boss, I appreciate your continual concern,” MacDonald's suggested message for taking a sick day read. “I am sick today and will not be able to work. I will keep you updated as the day comes to an end on my intentions for tomorrow.”
As a rule of thumb, following up within a week is perfectly acceptable. If you don't hear back after an additional week, you can reach out again. However, if you don't hear anything after a second week, it's better to stay radio silent. Some companies have a long hiring process.
Early morning cold calls could also work as a prospect wouldn't have begun attacking their to do lists. 2019 research from Revenue.io (that we referred to in the last section) claims that the call connection rates are highest between 8 to 11 am in the time zone of the call's recipient.
Be prompt. If you call out of work, letting your supervisor know about your absence as soon as possible allows them to plan to have your work covered if necessary. For example, if you know your cold is going to keep you out of work, let your employer know the night before instead of waiting until the morning.
Yes, 7 AM is too early to cold call. Research shows that the best times of the day to cold call are late morning and late afternoon. This correlates with 10 AM to 11 AM and 4 PM to 5 PM.