Email template · Leave and attendance
No call no show email
In short
A no call no show email goes to an employee who missed a scheduled shift without contacting anyone. It states the date and shift missed, asks the employee to get in touch by a deadline, explains the attendance policy and what happens next. Below are templates for a first occurrence, a repeat absence and a final notice, plus an SMS check-in.
When to send it: Send a check-in text or call within an hour or two of the missed shift start, and the email the same day. Send the final notice only after the number of consecutive missed shifts your policy defines as job abandonment.
No call no show email: 3 versions
First occurrence: check-in
SubjectChecking in: you missed your shift today, [Shift Date]
Hi [First Name], You were scheduled to work today, [Shift Date], from [Shift Start] to [Shift End], and we haven't heard from you. I hope everything is OK. Please call or text me at [Phone Number] by [Response Deadline] to let me know what happened and whether you'll be in for your next shift on [Next Shift Date]. As a reminder, our attendance policy asks you to call [Call-Out Number] at least [Notice Period] before your shift if you can't make it. Missing a shift without calling counts as a no call no show and is recorded as an attendance occurrence. If something serious has happened, just let us know. We'd rather hear from you than guess. [Manager Name] [Title], [Company]
Repeat occurrence
SubjectSecond no call no show: [Shift Date]
Hi [First Name], You didn't report for your shift on [Shift Date] ([Shift Start] to [Shift End]) and didn't call in. This is your second no call no show, after [Previous Date]. Under our attendance policy, [describe consequence, e.g. a second no call no show within 90 days results in a final written warning]. Please contact me by [Response Deadline] at [Phone Number]. I'd like to understand what's going on and talk about your schedule going forward. If there is a medical or family reason behind these absences, tell me or contact HR at [HR Contact], since you may be eligible for leave or other support. [Manager Name] [Title], [Company]
Final notice before job abandonment
SubjectPlease contact us by [Response Deadline] about your employment
Hi [First Name], You haven't reported for work or contacted us since [Last Day Worked]. You missed scheduled shifts on [Missed Dates]. We've tried to reach you by phone on [Call Dates] and by text. Under our attendance policy, [Number] consecutive no call no shows are treated as a voluntary resignation (job abandonment). If you want to keep your job, or if something has prevented you from contacting us, please call me at [Phone Number] or HR at [HR Contact] by [Response Deadline]. If we don't hear from you by then, we'll process your separation effective [Separation Date] and send details about your final pay and returning company property. We hope you're OK and that we hear from you. [Manager Name] [Title], [Company]
Subject line ideas
- Checking in: you missed your shift today
- Missed shift on [Shift Date]: please call us
- Unreported absence on [Shift Date]
- Please get in touch about today's shift
- Second no call no show: [Shift Date]
- Action needed by [Response Deadline]: your employment
- We haven't heard from you since [Last Day Worked]
SMS and WhatsApp version
Hi [First Name], it's [Manager Name] from [Company]. You were scheduled at [Shift Start] today and we haven't heard from you. Are you OK? Please call or text me at [Phone Number] by [Response Deadline] about today and your next shift.
Placeholders to replace: [First Name], [Shift Date], [Shift Start], [Shift End], [Next Shift Date], [Previous Date], [Last Day Worked], [Missed Dates], [Call Dates], [Number], [Notice Period], [Call-Out Number], [Response Deadline], [Separation Date], [Phone Number], [HR Contact], [Manager Name], [Title], [Company]
Lead with a check-in, not a warning
The first message after a missed shift should assume something went wrong, because often it did: a car accident, a hospital visit, a sick child, a phone that died. Opening with "Are you OK?" costs nothing, and it changes how the conversation goes when the employee does call back. The policy reminder still belongs in the email, but after the check-in.
Speed matters in high-volume operations. A contact center or warehouse supervisor who texts within the first hour often gets the employee in for a late start, or at least learns whether to call in cover. Waiting until end of day to email means a lost shift and a weaker record. If your team texts employees, keep the SMS brief, identify who is texting, and follow with the email so there is a written record.
What to include
- The exact shift missed: date, start and end time. Vague references cause disputes later.
- A clear ask and deadline: call or text by a specific time.
- The policy in one or two sentences: how to call out and how a no call no show is counted.
- What happens next: an occurrence, a warning level, or nothing yet.
- An open door for serious reasons, pointing to HR.
Keep the language factual. "You didn't report for your scheduled shift and we didn't receive a call" is accurate. "You abandoned your team" is not something you want read back to you in an unemployment hearing. For a fuller definition of the term and how policies count it, see the glossary entry on no call no show.
Consistency with your attendance policy
The email should apply the written policy exactly as it applies to everyone else. Most hourly employers treat a single no call no show as a serious occurrence, often equal to two or three regular absences under a points system, and treat a set number of consecutive no call no shows (commonly three) as job abandonment. Whatever your numbers, they must be in the handbook and applied the same way to every employee on every shift.
Record the occurrence where attendance is tracked. If your attendance records show the employee was approved for leave or swapped the shift, the email should never go out; that check takes a minute and prevents an embarrassing apology. For patterns of late arrivals or call-outs with notice, a separate attendance warning email fits better than this one.
Legal care before discipline
Before treating repeated absences as misconduct, ask whether any of them may be protected. Absences linked to the employee's or a family member's serious health condition may fall under the FMLA for eligible employees, and the ADA can require reasonable accommodation, including leave, for a disability. Some states and cities have paid sick leave laws that limit discipline for covered absences, and others protect time off for jury duty, voting, military service or domestic violence. If the employee mentions any of these, pause and involve HR.
Rules vary by state and country, and this page is general information rather than legal advice. A short review by HR or counsel before a final notice is a cheap safeguard.
The final notice and what follows
A final notice should list each missed date, each attempt to reach the employee, the policy that applies and a firm deadline. Send it to the personal email on file and by mail if your policy says so; a text alone is weak evidence. If the deadline passes with no contact, separation is processed and confirmed using the job abandonment email, which also covers final pay timing and return of property. Several states set strict deadlines for final paychecks after separation, so HR should be ready before the deadline you give the employee.
Mistakes to avoid
- Waiting days to reach out, then terminating on day three when the employee was in the hospital.
- Threatening termination in the first email when the policy calls for a warning.
- Treating supervisors' favorites differently. Inconsistency is the fastest route to a discrimination claim.
- Texting only. Keep a written email or letter record for anything that could lead to separation.
- Ignoring patterns. Three no-shows on Monday mornings after payday weekends is a conversation, not just a count.
Frequently asked questions
What do you say to an employee who no call no shows?
Start by checking they are safe, state the shift they missed, ask them to call by a set time, and remind them of the call-out procedure and how the absence is recorded under policy. Keep it factual and short.
How many no call no shows before termination?
It depends on your written policy. Many employers treat three consecutive no call no shows as job abandonment, and treat one or two non-consecutive ones as serious attendance occurrences leading to written warnings.
What is an unauthorized absence email?
It is another name for a no call no show email: a written notice that the employee was absent without approval or notice, with the date, the policy and the next step. Office-based employers use the term more often.
How do I write an absconding employee email?
List every missed date, each attempt to contact the employee, the policy on job abandonment and a firm deadline to respond. Say what happens if they don't, including separation date and final pay details, and send it to their personal email and address on file.
Can I fire someone for one no call no show?
In most US states employment is at will, so it may be legal, but it is risky if your policy says otherwise or the absence was protected. Follow your written policy and check for possible FMLA, ADA or sick leave issues first.
Should a no call no show message be sent by text or email?
Both. Text first for speed, since most hourly employees see texts within minutes, then send an email the same day so there is a clear written record.