I’m running late to my serving shift. What do I text my manager?
The short answer
Copy-paste texts
Names and times are made up.
| Situation | Text |
|---|---|
| A few minutes late | “Hi, it’s Sam. I’m running about 10 minutes late for my 4 p.m. Traffic. I’ll be there by 4:10.” |
| Up to an hour | “Hi, it’s Sam. My car won’t start. I’ve got a ride coming and will be there by 5. Sorry for the short notice. My side work is the silverware roll-ups if someone can start them.” |
| You don’t know when | “Hi, it’s Sam. I’m stuck on the train with no ETA yet. I’ll text you the minute it moves. Calling you now too.” |
| You can’t make it at all | “Hi, it’s Sam. I can’t make my 4 p.m. My kid’s school just called and I have to pick him up. I’m calling you now.” |
| You’re already late and didn’t text | “Hi, it’s Sam. I’m sorry, I overslept and I’m on my way. I’ll be there at 4:25. It won’t happen again.” |
Not tax or legal advice. These are wording suggestions. Your restaurant’s attendance policy comes first.
Plain English
What to put in the text
- Your name and the shift. “Hi, it’s Sam, my 4 p.m.”
- An arrival time, not “soon.” Add a few minutes to your best guess.
- The reason in a few words. Traffic, a ride, a sick kid. No long story.
- Anything waiting on you. Side work, a reservation in your section.
- A call if it’s bad. If you’ll miss a big chunk of the shift or can’t come at all, call too.
When you get there
Clock in when you start working, find the manager, and say one line: “Sorry I was late. I’m here now.” Don’t argue it on the floor. If you want to talk about it, do it after the rush.
What federal wage law says about your time
The Fair Labor Standards Act counts the time you actually work. DOL’s Fact Sheet #22 says work your employer doesn’t ask for but allows is still work time that must be paid. For example, if you stay after your shift to finish an assigned task, those minutes count as hours worked.
We found no federal wage rule about lateness or attendance itself. Those rules come from your employer’s policy, and your state may have stricter rules. DOL keeps a list of state labor offices.
If it keeps happening
If a bus route or a childcare pickup makes one start time hard every week, ask for a different start time before it becomes a pattern. See How do I ask for more shifts or a better section? for how to ask for schedule changes.
Common mistakes
- Texting after your shift already started.
- Saying “on my way” with no time.
- Giving a time you know you won’t make.
- Only texting when the house rule says to call.
Official sources
Last verified:
Checked DOL Fact Sheet #22 (hours worked), DOL’s Handy Reference Guide to the FLSA (revised November 2023), and DOL’s state labor offices list.
Still open: We found no DOL page that speaks directly to lateness or attendance policies. State and local scheduling laws aren’t covered here.