Calling out sick is stressful enough without having to worry about how your boss will react. When you need to miss work for a medical reason—whether it's the flu, a planned surgery, or a mental health day—providing a professional, written notice is the best way to protect your job and maintain boundaries.

Many employees make the mistake of oversharing medical details out of guilt, or undersharing to the point where their absence looks suspicious.

Here is the exact formula for writing a professional medical excuse letter that HR will accept without asking invasive questions.

1. Keep Your Medical Details Private

You are not legally obligated to tell your boss your specific diagnosis.…