A system for automatically detecting status of an agent in a call center is provided. The system may have a call center management system with a plurality of agent workstations coupled to the call center management system and a plurality of telephones associated with the agent workstations. The system may also have a switch that automatically connects calls to the telephones. An off-hook detector automatically detects a manually initiated off-hook status of at least one of the telephones and signals the switch that the agent at the telephones is unavailable. The switch may then avoid connecting a call to the unavailable agent.