Writing a Formal Letter for Leave Application

Looking to write a formal letter for leave application? That’s not surprising.

What is a Leave Application?

Allowing for a break from your job, school, or college is called a leave application. Let’s say you are about to undergo a minor surgery; you will need several days after the surgery to rest and recuperate.

Employees who wish to take a short break from work for personal reasons can send leave applications to their supervisor. A worker’s dedication to writing a letter shows professionalism and allows the team and employer time to prepare.

Taking a leave without planning puts everyone in office in a bad spot as things still need to be completed when you leave.

As such, a leave application is a professional way to request a pause from work for a specific period of time.

Sending a formal leave request should include a brief, genuine letter and the reason for your absence. Your letter of application is a major factor between a rejection and approval from your superior.

The type of letter you write would change depending on the reason. Obviously, no company would pay its employees during their 2-month trip in Southeast Asia. On the other hand, a company would almost always send you on a paid leave for a health complication.

Let’s take a look at the variety of leaves there are, and how to write for them.

The Types of Leave Applications

The main body of the leave letter changes according to the type of leave requested. Here are some common variety of reasons:

Sick Leave Application

The number of days of sick leave depends on the seriousness of the worker’s condition. The process could take a few days or months.

Casual Leave Application

You can take a casual leave without providing a specific reason, once or twice a month.

Annual Leave Application

The worker takes a long-term vacation because it involves their annual and earned leave. The number of paid vacation days of annual leave depends on how many leaves the employee has left.

Maternity Leave

This may change depending on the country, however most countries grant new mothers to take at least 12 weeks of paid leave.

Paternity Leave

Although not mandated by law in most countries, some countries may grant recent fathers to take a leave for one or two weeks.

One Day Leave

For a leave that is going to be for one day, such formalities like an application letter may not be necessary. Most companies will not require that. Check the company guidelines for one day leave.

Unpaid Leave

This isn’t mandated by law for countries around the world, it’s up to employer’s discretion. An employer may accept you leaving for an extended period of time to study abroad, or travel.

How to Write a Formal Letter for Leave Application?

If you would like to request a formal leave of absence from work, ask your manager or human resources department about your situation.

There are a couple of things you should include in this letter for leave application. Here are some of them:

• Your reasons for being absent may include many factors. Such as the birth or adoption of your child, medical problems or loss of a loved one, or relief from job stress.
• Your willingness to prepare for your absence, for example training your replacement when you are gone. You should also guarantee that you are going to be available during this time for any questions.
• A date on which you intend to depart and return to work
• Ask your supervisor to assist you with the leave of absence process with senior management and/or the HR department.

Things to Keep In Mind Writing the Letter

There are some tips you should know before writing the letter.

Use a Formal Letter Format

The leave application letter does not have an official format, the letter format of the application letter should include these at the very least:

• Recipient Name & Address
• Recipient Title
• Subject
• Salutation
• Main Body
• Closing Paragraph (Don’t forget to thank the recipient and let them know you are grateful)
• Signing Off (Yours Sincerely, Sincerely, or Respectfully)
• Your Name
• Your Title
• Signature

Work Out Your Leave Early On!

One way to ensure your leave application will be rejected is to give it on the last minute! Don’t notify your superiors at the very end, give them as much as time as possible.

Your supervisor and the HR department will need to find you a replacement. So make it easier for them to find your replacement by allowing them more time.

Your Boss Should Know it First!

Don’t let your immediate manager know alongside other people, like people in HR and upper management. Your boss should be the first to know.

And you should preferably have this conversation face to face, rather than letting them know by email.

Keep the Date Certain!

Both the date you are planning to leave, and the date you are planning to return should be definite. This is to make planning easier when you are gone.

Consider Work From Home Instead

If you need to care for a sick family member, telecommuting might be ideal. You could also work from home on a weekly basis and come in once a week for weekly check-ins or meetings. The employer may consider other options as well. Keep a list of alternative options in mind.

Sample Letter for Leave Application

Take a look at the sample below for future reference when writing your letter. In this scenario, the worker asking for a leave is John Smith, and his manager is Dylan West. The dates of his leave is written below.

John Smith

123 Cherry Lane New Haven, NJ 111 222 333 444 555

5 May 2020

Dylan West Senior Marketing Manager FutureWorks Studio 567 Maple Road New Have, NJ

Dear Mr. West,

This mail is to follow up on yesterday’s meeting with a leave request. As we discussed, I would like to request a leave of absence from June 15, 2020, through October 15, 2020.

I will return to work on the date of October 16, 2020.

Let me know if you need any further information or have any questions.

My thanks for providing me with this opportunity for personal leave will be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Signature

John Smith