Office closure notice email template

When to use this template

Use this when an office, store, plant, or job site closes for weather, a power outage, an emergency, a building issue, or a planned event like a move. Speed matters. Employees need to know before they leave home, so send early and keep it short enough to read on a phone. Send a text alert as well if you have one.

The most common follow-up question is about pay, so answer it in the email. Hourly employees want to know whether they will be paid for the closed shift, and exempt employees want to know whether they should work from home. Decide your rules in advance and put them in your handbook, so each closure isn't a new debate.

Used often inManufacturingConstruction

The email templates

Copy either version, replace everything in [brackets], and read it once out loud before you send it. If it doesn't sound like you, change it.

Hi [Location] team,

Due to [weather conditions or the specific issue], [Location] is closed today, [Day, Date].

- Please don't come in. [If anyone must report, name them or the roles.]
- If you can work remotely, please do. [Or: remote work is not expected today.]
- Pay: [Hourly employees scheduled today will be paid for their scheduled hours / may use PTO / won't be paid for the closed shift]. Exempt employees will be paid as usual.

We will send an update by [Time] about [tomorrow or reopening]. Check [phone line, text alerts, or intranet] for the latest.

Stay safe,
[Manager or HR name]

Hi everyone,

[Location] will be closed on [Day, Date] for [reason, such as an office move, maintenance, or a company event].

- Work arrangements: [Remote work, day off, or alternate site]
- Pay: [How pay works for hourly and salaried employees]
- Deliveries or customer impact: [What to tell customers or vendors]

We will reopen on [Date] at [Time]. Please contact [Name] with any questions.

[HR or operations contact]

Subject lines to try

The subject line decides whether the email is opened today or next week. Keep it specific and short enough to read on a phone.

• [Location] closed today, [Date]
• Planned closure: [Location] on [Date]
• Weather update: office closed [Date]
• Do not come in today: [Location] closed
• Closure update and pay information

How to personalize it

• Send by text and email at the same time for urgent closures.
• Name the essential roles that must still report, if any.
• Give a time for the next update.
• Keep the subject line specific enough to understand from a phone notification.

Mistakes to avoid

• Sending the closure notice after people have already left home.
• Leaving pay rules unclear.
• Expecting nonexempt employees to check email or work when the site is closed without paying them.
• Different rules for different teams without explanation.

Legal and compliance notes

Under FLSA rules, exempt employees who are ready and willing to work generally must receive their full salary for a week in which they perform any work, even if the employer closes for part of it. Employers can usually require exempt staff to use PTO for the closure day. Nonexempt employees only need to be paid for hours worked, but several states, including California, New York, and others, have reporting time pay rules when employees show up for a shift that is canceled. Our exempt vs nonexempt guide explains the salary basis rule.

This is general information for US employers, not legal advice. Laws change and vary by state and city, so confirm the current rules or talk to employment counsel before you rely on them.

When to send it

For weather, decide and send by early morning, ideally before the first shift starts or the night before if the forecast is clear. For planned closures, give at least two weeks of notice.

Before you hit send

Run through this quick check. It takes a minute and catches most of the mistakes that cause follow-up emails.

• The subject line says what changed and when, and it reads well on a phone.
• Managers were briefed and can answer questions the same day.
• Anyone personally affected heard the news privately first.
• The effective date and any action required appear in the first three lines.
• Employees without company email will get it through managers, texts, or posters.

Frequently asked questions