To ask for a mental health day, check which type of leave applies, follow your workplace's notification procedure, and clearly state when you need to be away (Medical News Today). Keep your message truthful and focused on the absence rather than trying to write a persuasive account of how bad you feel.
If you are unwell and unable to work, a starting point is:
Hi [name], I'm unwell and unable to work today, [date]. I need to take sick leave. I'll update you about my return by [time/date].
Use this only if it accurately describes your situation, and complete the required call, form, or absence notification as well. These examples are suggested wording, not guarantees of approval, pay, or job protection.
There is an important distinction between a brief absence message and requesting protected medical leave: simply calling in “sick” does not give an employer enough information to recognize that the U.S. Family and Medical Leave Act might apply (U.S. Department of Labor). If you need that protection or ongoing support, see the section below on talking to HR.
This guide focuses on U.S. workplaces and general communication, not individual legal advice. Choose the example that fits your circumstances; you do not need to use the phrase “mental health day” just because it is in this article's title.
Before you ask: work out what you are requesting
A workplace might offer designated mental health days, sick leave, personal days, or paid time off, often called PTO (Medical News Today). Check the handbook, benefits portal, or relevant HR contact for the category, notice requirements, and available balance.
Start by separating two situations: requesting a planned day away and reporting that you are unwell and cannot work. Do not turn a genuine health-related absence into a casual vacation request, or describe a planned personal day as illness if that is not true.
Before sending anything, check the practical details:
- Who to contact: Identify the manager, absence line, scheduling team, or leave administrator named in the procedure.
- How to notify them: Check whether a call, portal entry, email, or text is required. Do not assume a message to a colleague completes the process.
- When to make contact: Look for the notice deadline and what to do when the need is unexpected.
- What happens next: Ask about approval, recording the absence, documentation, and whether the time is paid.
If you are still deciding what kind of time away you need, start with URevolution's guide to what a mental health day is. Here, the focus is the conversation with work.
Write your message to work
Choose a situation that is true for you. These are useful reasons to ask for time away, not guarantees that a particular leave category applies. You can edit every word before using it.
Changing the choices does not overwrite your draft. Use this button when you are ready to replace it.
Check the dates and replace any text in brackets. Copy message includes the subject. Opening your email app creates a draft for you to address, review and send; this page does not send it. If no app opens, copy the message into your email or workplace system.
The widget does not submit your text or save it to a database or browser storage. Avoid entering diagnoses or other sensitive details on a shared device. Clear your details when finished; copied text remains on your clipboard.
Need protected leave or an accommodation? A general absence message may not give your employer enough information. Read when to talk to HR about more than one day and follow the required process.
What to say when you need a mental health day
The following messages are original examples to adapt, not accounts of real employees' experiences. Replace the brackets, remove anything that does not fit, and use the leave category that applies to you.
A short text when you are unwell
If your workplace accepts texts for absence notifications, keep yours brief and specific. Include the date so there is no ambiguity:
Hi [name], I'm unwell and can't work today, [date]. I need to use sick leave and will complete [the required absence form]. I'll update you by [time/date] about whether I can return.
Delete the form reference if there is no form. Choose an update time you can reasonably meet rather than promising that you will definitely be back tomorrow.
An email requesting a planned day off
For a planned day using PTO, ask for the date rather than presenting it as already approved. There is no need to attach a detailed account of why you want the break:
Subject: PTO request for [date]
Hi [name],
I'd like to request PTO for [date]. Please let me know whether that date can be approved.
If approved, I'll leave a brief handover for [task/project] before I'm off.
Thanks,
[Your name]
Include a handover line only if it is relevant to your job. A request from a shift worker need not sound like an office worker's project update.
A request using a designated mental health day
If your employer offers this specific benefit and you want to use that wording, you can be direct. Follow any accompanying booking or approval process:
Hi [name], I'd like to use one of my available mental health days on [date]. Please let me know whether I should submit the request through [system] or another process.
You can also choose to mention mental health when using another appropriate leave category. That is a disclosure decision, not a requirement to make the request sound more deserving.
A phone script for calling in
If your workplace requires a phone call, write down the key details before dialing. Read from the note if that makes the conversation easier:
Hi [name], it's [your name]. I'm unwell and unable to work my [time] shift today. I'm calling to report the absence under our procedure. I'll update you by [time/date] about my next shift. Is there an absence form or reference number I need?
If you leave a voicemail, follow any required backup procedure rather than assuming the message has been received. Keep a note of when you called and whom you contacted.
A message when you need to stop working partway through the day
Be clear about whether you are asking for a short break or reporting that you cannot continue working. If you are unwell, avoid offering remote work or a lighter workload merely to soften the message:
Hi [name], I'm unwell and unable to continue working today. I need to take leave for the rest of my shift. [Essential handover information.] Please let me know the process for recording the absence.
If you work remotely, you can add: “I need to log off and will not be available for work for the rest of today.” Keep any handover short and limited to what is necessary and manageable.
How to ask for a mental health day at the last minute
For an unexpected absence, contact the required person or service as soon as you reasonably can and follow the applicable reporting process. For unforeseeable FMLA leave, notice must be given as soon as practicable in the circumstances, and usual call-in procedures generally apply unless unusual circumstances prevent compliance (U.S. Department of Labor).
Use the sick-leave text or phone script above if you are unwell. If you are requesting short-notice PTO instead, make that distinction clear:
Hi [name], I'd like to request PTO for today, [date], for personal reasons. I realize this is short notice. Can you confirm whether it can be approved?
Do not invent a migraine, stomach bug, appointment, or family emergency to make the request seem more acceptable. Choose accurate wording, even if that wording is simply “I'm unwell.”
For shift work, identify the shift you will miss and contact the designated absence channel. If you are being asked to find coverage and are unsure what is required, ask HR or your union representative to clarify the applicable policy and protections rather than treating a coworker's availability as the final answer.
If a medical emergency prevents you from making contact, prioritize getting help. FMLA rules recognize circumstances in which someone cannot follow ordinary call-in procedures until their condition has stabilized and they can use a phone (U.S. Department of Labor).
Do you have to tell your boss it is about mental health?
The EEOC says that, in most situations, workers can keep a mental health condition private, although medical information may be needed in specific circumstances, including accommodation requests and establishing eligibility for benefits such as FMLA leave (EEOC). Think of privacy as a reason to be deliberate about disclosure, not as a guarantee that no relevant questions can ever be asked.
For an initial message, consider what your manager needs to understand: that you are absent, the period involved, and how you will provide any required update. Keep sensitive information out of team chats and shared calendars.
If you want to name mental health, you could say:
I'm dealing with a mental health issue and am unable to work today. I need to take sick leave and will follow the usual absence procedure.
If you do not want to discuss the details with your manager, you could say:
I'm unwell and can't work today. I'd prefer to keep the medical details private. Please let me know whether any documentation is required and the appropriate person or secure process for submitting it.
Use that as a request to handle information appropriately, not as a refusal to provide anything further. FMLA certification may require information supporting the need for leave, but it does not require a diagnosis (U.S. Department of Labor).
If your boss pushes back
Respond to the specific issue rather than writing a longer account of your distress. Keep a record of the request and response, especially if there is confusion about what you asked for.
- They ask, “What's wrong?”: Try, “It's a health issue. I'd prefer to discuss any required medical information through the appropriate process. What information do you need to record the absence?”
- They ask you to work from home instead: If you cannot work, try, “I'm not well enough to work today, including remotely. I need time away from work.”
- They ask when you will return: If you do not know, try, “I can't confirm that yet. I'll update you by [time/date].”
- They deny a planned PTO date: Ask, “Is there another date available, and can you clarify the notice requirement?”
- They reject a health-related absence: Ask, “Can you confirm the reason and the policy being applied? Who can explain whether medical leave or another process applies?”
Do not assume that a denied PTO request and a denial of legally protected leave are the same situation. FMLA protections depend on eligibility and a qualifying reason, and the law prohibits interference with the exercise of FMLA rights (U.S. Department of Labor).
If you are worried about discrimination or retaliation, consider getting advice from a union representative, an employment lawyer, or the relevant agency. The EEOC handles disability-discrimination concerns, while the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division enforces FMLA for most covered employees (EEOC; U.S. Department of Labor).
When to talk to HR about more than one day
If you regularly need time away or a health condition is affecting your work, consider asking about a longer-term arrangement. Possible reasonable accommodations include altered schedules and breaks, depending on the circumstances and applicable ADA requirements (EEOC).
You can open that conversation without proposing the perfect solution:
Subject: Request to discuss health-related support
Hi [name],
A medical condition is affecting my ability to [work my current schedule/perform a particular task]. I'd like to discuss possible reasonable accommodations and any leave options that may apply.
Please let me know the next steps, any documentation needed, and how to submit medical information appropriately.
Thanks,
[Your name]
If you need leave for a potentially FMLA-qualifying condition, do not rely on “personal reasons” or “I'm sick” alone: give enough relevant information for the employer to recognize that FMLA may apply, and respond to reasonable follow-up questions (U.S. Department of Labor). If the absence relates to a reason previously approved for FMLA leave, specifically identify that qualifying reason or the need for FMLA leave when notifying your employer (U.S. Department of Labor).
For example, if accurate, you could say: “I need to use my approved intermittent FMLA leave today for the condition covered by my approval.” Follow the associated reporting process as well.
After you have notified work
Save a copy of your message and any response, and complete the required absence steps. If approval is needed, check that you have it rather than treating silence as agreement.
For planned time off, leave any necessary handover before the day begins. For an unexpected illness, avoid turning a brief update into an offer to monitor your inbox all day.
If an out-of-office message is useful, it can be neutral: “I'm out of the office today. For [urgent matter], contact [agreed contact].” Check with that person before naming them.
When you return, you might prefer a short response to questions: “Thanks for checking in. I'd rather not discuss the details.” You do not have to turn an ordinary conversation with coworkers into a public account of your health.
Common questions about requesting a mental health day
Can I ask by text instead of calling?
Check the applicable procedure rather than assuming either method is acceptable; workplaces use different channels for requesting and recording leave (Medical News Today). If a phone-based process is inaccessible to you, ask about an accessible alternative and, where relevant, an accommodation.
What if I do not have paid leave left?
Ask which options remain and whether they are paid or unpaid. Eligible workers with qualifying conditions may have access to unpaid FMLA leave, and unpaid leave can sometimes be a reasonable accommodation under the ADA, but neither is an automatic entitlement for every request labeled a mental health day (U.S. Department of Labor; EEOC).
Do I need a doctor's note?
Check the applicable policy and legal requirements rather than assuming a note is always, or never, necessary. FMLA leave may require health-care-provider certification, and an accommodation request may require supporting documentation (U.S. Department of Labor; EEOC).
Should I apologize?
If you want to acknowledge the short notice, one sentence is enough: “I realize this is short notice.” Avoid promising extra work, instant recovery, or permanent availability as the price of asking.
The aim is a clear, accurate message and the right process, not a perfect explanation that makes everybody comfortable. Use the words you need, provide any required information appropriately, and leave out what does not belong in the conversation.
AI disclosure: AI was used to research and draft this article and to generate the interactive message widget.
