You wake up one fine morning and don’t feel like going to work. The next thing you do is drop a WhatsApp message, saying, ‘Sir, I won’t be able to come to the office today.’ Do you think your boss will happily read the message and let you rest? Never.
Before you think that your boss needs to be more understanding, please understand that you are the one who needs to understand. You cannot take a day off just because you don’t feel like working. You have to make an official request and get it approved before you plan a day off from work.
Seems like a lot of work? Well, not really. You just have to learn how to write a leave request email and implement it to get your well-deserved leave. On that note, let’s delve deep into the subject and learn all about writing a leave request.
Let’s dive in!
What is a Leave Request Email?
When you plan a vacation with friends, you inform your parents days back so that they don’t include you in any of their plans during that period. Now, why do you do that? You can simply pack your bags, tell your parents, and go for a trip on the same day. The reason you tell your parents is to keep them informed.
Similarly, in the professional world, you have a few duties, responsibilities, and deadlines to meet. Your boss delegates duties based on your availability and commits to completing them within a specific time for higher management. So, the entire process gets hampered when you suddenly take a leave.
A leave request email is nothing but a way to keep your boss informed about your absence. A simple leave request mail will help streamline things and let you enjoy your much-needed vacation. You must specify the dates for which you are seeking leave of absence and the reason to ensure a quick approval. In cases where you need a medical leave, you might also be asked to submit the medical reports.
Now that you understand why you need to request leaves rather than suddenly taking them, let’s move on to the elements you must include in such emails.
What Are the Essential Elements of a Leave Application?
What are the things that you need to include in a leave application? A leave email must have a few necessary elements to make sense and get approval. Here are a few things you must include:
A. Subject Line
You must clarify that this is a leave email before your manager opens it. Since 35% of emails are left unread, a clear subject line increases the chances of your manager reading the email.
The subject line should be enough to let your boss know why you wrote to them. Keep the subject line short and simple to ensure your boss finds your email and reads it. Do not use more than nine words to write the subject line.
Example: Request for Leave from 2nd to 5th February, 2025
B. Greeting
Use a greeting to start writing this email. You must ensure that the greeting is polite and professional.
You can start with ‘Dear Sir/Ma’am’ or ‘Good morning/Good evening.’ Do not use informal greetings when writing to request a leave.
C. Reason for Your Leave
Whether you like it or not, you must specify the reason for your leave. Your manager will consider your request only if the reason is strong enough. Further, you can also choose the type of leave as per the company’s leave policy and write the email.
The reason should be mentioned in the first line of the email.
Example: I am requesting leave as I will be travelling out of station for a family function.
D. Duration and Dates of Leave
Mention the dates and duration for your leave to make things clear. Most of you mention the dates and do not specify the duration. Your manager is left calculating the duration.
To avoid confusion, specify how many days you will be on leave and deduct the week-offs from the duration.
For example, if you are taking leaves from Thursday to Tuesday, your leave duration would be 4 days since Saturday and Sunday are off.
E. Closing
You must add a closing statement to end the email. When you write a leave application email, don’t expect approval immediately. You must keep it formal and request that your manager approve the leave letter.
Example: I look forward to your approval and plan accordingly.
Think you can compose and send a leave request mail to your manager? Of course, you can. But there are a few more things you must know before you put forward a formal request for leave to your manager.
What Are the Different Types of Leaves?
Before you write an email to request a leave, you must understand the different types of leaves the companies offer. Let’s take you through them one by one:
A. Annual Leave
Companies allow their employees to take a certain time off from work. Annual leaves can be taken at any time of the year. Generally, an annual leave request email should look like this:
Email Subject Line: Annual Leave 2024
Good morning sir,
As discussed, I will be on leave for the next 7 days, from the 9th to the 15th of December, 2024. I would be going on a trip with friends during this time.
Thank you for considering this request. Kindly approve my formal leave request. I will be available on calls and messages if you need any help.
Thanks and Regards,
Michael
B. Casual Leave
However it might sound, you cannot be too ‘casual’ and take a leave all of a sudden. Companies set a certain number of casual leaves for every employee that they can take whenever needed. It can be for one or two days, depending on the employee’s need.
Subject Line: Casual Request for Leave for 4th and 5th February, 2025
Hello ma’am,
I am writing this email to formally request casual leave on the 4th and 5th of February 2025, as I will be travelling to attend a family function.
Please approve my letter of leave from work.
Thanks and Regards,
Jonathan
C. Sick Leave
Employees can take time off if they are not feeling well. To request sick leave, you must request it, explain what the doctors have prescribed, and attach the prescriptions to help your manager understand the seriousness of the problem.
Subject Line: Request for Leave Due to Health Conditions
Hello sir,
I am writing to request leave from 4th to 7th February 2025, as I am not keeping well. The doctor has prescribed complete bed rest for the next four days.
I have attached the doctor’s prescription for your reference.
Kindly approve my request for leave from work.
Thanks and Regards,
William
D. Personal Leave
Employees can take personal leave for family emergencies, health issues, caregiving, or other personal matters. Here’s an example of requests for personal leave:
Subject Line: Personal Leave Request on 5th February, 2025
Dear sir,
I will need leave on the 5th of February, 2025, for personal reasons. I have to go out of the station to pick up my parents and drive them back home.
Please consider my request. Kindly approve my email.
Thanks and Regards,
Chris
At times, family emergencies might not allow you to work anymore. If you are in that situation, consider looking at a resignation letter example due to family illness and frame your email accordingly.
E. Maternity Leave
Every company allows maternity leave for 52 weeks to eligible employees. It comprises 26 weeks of ordinary leaves and 26 weeks of additional leaves. Here’s how you can write a maternity leave request mail to manager:
Subject Line: Maternity Leave
Hello sir,
I will be taking 32 weeks of maternal leave starting on March 3rd, 2025. I would also like to request that you start my parental pay or any parental leave pay the company allows.
My baby is due on 8th March 2025. Attaching the certificate for your reference.
Please consider this request and kindly approve my request.
Thanks and Regards,
Christina
These are the most common types of leaves. You must also know about the policies around unpaid leave in the UK. In such cases, you must discuss with your employer and both must agree upon the terms.
Now that you know about the different kinds of leaves and how to approach each one, let’s give you some expert tips for writing an email requesting leave.
How to Write a Leave Request Email?
As mentioned earlier, you need to maintain a formal tone throughout this professional email. Also, you are well-versed in the elements you must include in this formal email. Now, how will you write it? Let’s take you through the expert tips to write a professional leave request email:
A. Choose a Formal Greeting
You are requesting your manager for a leave. So, when you start the email, use a formal greeting. Don’t use ‘hey’ or ‘hi’ to start this email. Use a ‘good morning’ or ‘good evening,’ or you can use a ‘hello’ to put in your request.
B. State the Reason
Do not leave out the reason behind your request. You have to explain why you need a leave to get approval from your manager. Share the reason in the body of the email. The examples in the previous section will help you understand how to place the reason.
C. Specify the Dates
Make sure to specify the dates for which you will be on leave. A simple leave request mail to manager must share all the details. You must make it clear to your manager so that they make the necessary preparations to get the work done.
D. Additional Details
The additional details are optional. You have stated the reason for your leave request already. However, if you want to add more information, you can do that. For example, attaching a doctor’s prescription for an emergency leave can be done to get quick approval.
E. Thank Your Manager
Since you request a leave, you must not end your email without thanking your manager. An effective leave request must acknowledge the time the manager spends reading it. Also, it will help you get approvals faster.
These steps will help you drop a strong request for leave email. One more thing: you must include a formal sign-off and signature at the end of the email. You can look for companies offering CV writing services to understand how to do it.
Before we end the discussion, let us take you through the template that you must use to write the email.
How Should a Leave Request Email Template Look Like?
You would like to request a leave for two days. You know why you need the leave and are informing your manager well in advance. But what format should you follow? Let us give you a standard leave request email template that you can follow:
Subject Line
Greetings (Good morning sir/ma’am, Hello sir/ma’am, Dear sir/ma’am)
Reason and type of leave
Email body explaining the reason in detail
Thank you for consideration
Formal sign-off and signature
You can refer to the examples for different kinds of leave above to understand how to go about it.
Additional Information:
Here are a few more types of leaves that you must know about:
→ Gardening leave
→ Duvet day
→ Sabbatical leave
→ Paid time off
→ Time off in lieu leave
→ Bereavement leave
Signing Out,
Well, that’s all about writing a well-structured leave request email. You can go through all the types mentioned here, select the one that is the best for you, and drop a request. Please remember that these emails are formal. Therefore, maintain a formal tone throughout and ensure to thank your manager for considering your request.
Point to remember: Don’t drop a WhatsApp message to ask for leaves; drop an email.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to ask for leave politely?
To politely ask for leave, you must address all the important points. Start your email by discussing the type of leave and when you will be on leave. Then, specify how your work will be managed while you are away. Finally, mention that you will be available for calls and messages to keep the work going.
How to write formal leave request emails?
Use these four elements to write a formal email to request a leave:
- Subject line
- Greeting
- Body
- Closing
What are the common reasons for personal leave?
The common reasons for personal leave are:
- Personal illness or injury
- Caring responsibilities
- Family emergencies
- Life-threatening illness of family members
How to ask for a sudden leave?
You can follow these steps to ask for a sudden leave:
- Check company policies
- Speak to your manager
- Put the request in writing
- Offer to help
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