You're sick. The email should take ten seconds.
A sick leave email needs four lines: you're unwell, the dates, the coverage plan, your reachability. No symptoms essay, no guilt. Draft it in one click and go back to bed.
The 4-line draft
One click produces the complete format — absence, dates, handoff, availability — so you're not composing prose with a 101° fever.
Coverage handoff built in
Guided AI adds 'Ritu will handle the client call; the report draft is in the shared drive' — the two lines that make your absence a non-event.
Formal when it matters
For HR-policy environments or extended leave, Formal mode produces documentation-grade wording that reads correctly in a personnel file.
The return email too
Back on Monday? One click drafts the return note asking for priority items — the re-entry email nobody thinks about until 9 AM.
Real examples
One-day absence
Multi-day with handoff
Sick during a critical deadline
Questions
How much detail about my illness should I give?+
'Unwell' or the general category is enough — your diagnosis is medical privacy, not a work update. Detail doesn't add credibility; the coverage plan does.
Should I email or message my manager when sick?+
Follow your team's norm for speed (a morning text is fine), but send the email too — it timestamps the leave for HR and payroll in a way chat messages don't.
Do I need to be reachable while on sick leave?+
No obligation, but stating your actual availability ('checking messages once this evening' or 'fully offline') prevents both guilt and misunderstanding. Say it once, then honor it.
What if I fall sick during a critical deadline?+
Flag it the moment you know, with the completion status and two concrete options — handoff or extension. The sin isn't being sick; it's the team discovering the gap at the deadline.
When do I need a medical certificate?+
Typically for absences beyond 2–3 consecutive days, per your company policy. Mention in the email that you'll provide it — preempting the ask reads as professionalism.