It’s a hectic Tuesday morning, work deadlines looming, and your phone rings. It’s the school nurse, your son has thrown up twice and he complains that he has a tummy ache, and you know you have to be there for him. 

The questions start flooding in, 

• Will  HR understand?
• Can you even take leave on such short notice?

The truth is, at some point during your employment, you may need to request a leave of absence. This could be for a variety of reasons ranging from personal or family health problems, the birth and/or adoption of a child, to rest from excessive job stress. It could also be the loss of a loved one, the pursuit of a hobby, or a desire to travel. A leave of absence in your case is not a luxury, but a necessity.

What is a Leave Application Letter? 

A leave application letter is a letter written to apply for a leave of absence from the office for a certain period.

The concept of a leave application centers around a formal way of asking for a break/leave of absence from work for a specified period.

A person writes leave application letter they’re unable to perform their duties for a stipulated period of time.

Types of Leave Applications 

• Sick Leave  

Sick leave is basically a leave of absence due to an illness. Sick leave is granted under a number of scenarios; for personal physical or mental illness, the care of a sick child, spouse, parent, or parent of a spouse, regular health checks, and/or to address the physical, psychological, and legal effects of domestic abuse. 

At the moment, there are no federal legal requirements for paid sick leave. For companies subject to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Act does require unpaid sick leave. The U.S. government ensures that federal employees get 13 paid sick days a year.

• Study Leave 

Study leave is basically a leave of absence from work granted in order to allow a person time to study or carry out research. In the case of a school pupil, it allows them to study at home, usually in order to prepare for examinations.

According to the labor laws in the US, Study Leave with or without pay is a matter for arrangement entirely between the employer and the employee. By law, the maximum length of study leave granted in the same employer’s service is two years. 

• Sabbatical 

By definition, a Sabbatical leave is a period in which a person does not report to his regular job but who remains employed with that company. Also commonly referred to as ‘career break’ or ‘adult gap year’, It is a period away from work, agreed with your employer.

The truth is, there are no laws that cover taking a career break or sabbatical; as such employees have no statutory right to take leave. A sabbatical will in most cases be an authorized, unpaid leave of absence.

• Maternity/Paternity Leave

Maternity leave is basically a period of absence from work that is granted to a mother before and after the birth of her child. The US government doesn’t guarantee for paid maternity leave, employers may, however, provide paid leave if they choose. If you have worked at a company for at least a year, you are entitled by federal law to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid maternity leave.

Paternity leave is a period of time that the father of a new baby is allowed away from work. Usually, a company provides up to eight weeks of paid paternity leave. When a man takes time off because his partner is having a baby, adopting a child or having a baby through a surrogacy arrangement he might be eligible for: 1 or 2 weeks’ paid paternity leave, paternity pay and/or shared parental leave and pay.

• Vacation/Holiday Request Letter 

Vacation leave is ideally available to all eligible employees for the purpose of rest, relaxation, and to attend to personal affairs. It is strikingly similar to annual leave which is paid time off work granted by employers to employees. Although not stipulated by law, many employers nonetheless offer paid vacation, typically around 10 workdays, to attract employees.

• Emergency Leave Application 

Emergency leave is necessary to cater to unforeseen circumstances such as the death of a loved one/family member. A funeral leave, which is leave of absence with pay, must not exceed three days and can be granted for absence from work. You qualify for an emergency leave if; there is a verified death, a life-threatening condition due to an accident, illness, or major surgery, or to visit a terminally ill person in the immediate family.

How to write a leave application

Here are 8 quick steps to aid you in writing your leave application.

1. Check your organization’s leave policies: Review the leave policy in your organization to find out what is required to request a leave application and the mode of request that will give you a better chance of getting your leave approved.

2. Address the letter to the appropriate person: Simple yet key-address the request to the right channel. You would have gotten this detail from your employee policy guide or handbook, so you know who has the authority to approve your application.

3. Use a professional salutation: Use a formal tone and adopt formal salutations. For instance Dear instead of hello.

4. State your reasons for writing: Share your intentions from the first paragraph so the reader knows why you are reaching out and can assess any information you present in the body of your request.

5. Specify the start and end date of your leave: Don’t be vague, specify the date your leave is expected to commence and the end date. If you are not sure of an end date. Put a tentative end date and let them know that it is subject to change.

6. Share details of how your tasks would be handled in your absence: share the deliverables you would handle before you leave and the plans you have made to ensure that your work does not suffer in your absence, by either delegation or sharing a contact list of who holds what while you are away. Where applicable you can offer to show up in cases of emergencies.

7. Express Appreciation: Express your gratitude to the recipient for taking the time to review your request and in anticipation of their consideration and kind understanding.

8. Provide A Way To Reach You: Always provide a number or emails through which you can be contacted while away.

5 Top Leave Letter Format

Sick Leave Letter Format

To,

The Manager,

(Insert company name)

Subject: Leave Application due (Insert illness)

Dear Sir/ma’am,

Respectfully, it is to inform you that I am suffering from (Xyz’s illness). I am an employee of your firm for the past (x years). I recently have been diagnosed with a (insert illness). Due to this sudden illness, it would not be possible for me to make an appearance at the office for a month.

This critical condition has deteriorated my health a lot. I cannot eat properly and have a really bad body rash. It is impossible for me to concentrate on anything. I can attest to have been a dedicated employee and did not take any additional leave from work ever.

The employee regularity record would serve as evidence of this claim. After I fully recuperate, I will be able to return and continue to serve your company with the same level of diligence and attention to detail. I hope you take my plea into consideration and allow me a leave of absence for a month. I will always be grateful for your generosity.

Yours Truly,

(Insert name),

(Insert date)

Study Leave Letter Sample

Date…

The Manager (Authority name),

Institute Name…

Institute Address…

Sub: Leave Application for Further Study

Dear Sir/Ma’am,

The Higher Education Commission, (Country name) has recently offered a free six-month study program (Another country name) for the candidates fulfilling the criteria. For government and private servants, it is a prerequisite to get approval from the relevant authority.

Sir/Ma’am, I fulfill the criteria of this study program. For me, this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to accomplish my dream of studying abroad.

I am committed to continuing my services to the department after receiving higher education in (Country name). If you approve my leave request for my study program, I will be indebted to you.

Thanking you in anticipation.

Yours faithfully,

Name,

Job Designation…

Contact no…

Sabbatical Leave Letter Sample

Dear [Recipient Name],

My name is [insert name] and I have been working in the ICT department for the past decade. I have recently found myself stuck in a loop, doing the same things over and over again. My learning process stopped and I haven’t improved for a while now.

Feeling the need for self-development, I would like to request for an extended leave, sabbatical, in order to continue my studies and earn another degree.

I am glad to be employed at [business name] and I am dedicated to it. After receiving my degree, I intend to return to work at [business name] since I will have gained more experience, knowledge, motivation, and commitment by then.

I do think that this is a good step for the organization and for me. In late September, I intend to enroll. The program will take no longer than nine months, so I should be back by May. I have briefed the head of the department and he assured me that coverage is available and that workflow will not be affected much.

I kindly ask you to consider my request and I am hopeful that will approve it. Attached to this letter are the program acceptance letter and other related documents for your reference.

Thank you very much.

Best Regards

(Insert name)

Maternity Leave Application Letter

Subject: Application for Maternity Leave

Dear Mr./Mrs. {Recipient’s Name},

I write to inform you of my intention to take the allotted {Number of weeks} of maternity leave available to me. I hope to start my maternity leave on {Starting date} and return to the office by {Tentative joining date}, barring any unforeseen issues regarding my pregnancy and delivery arise.

If my plans change for any reason, I will let you know as soon as possible. A letter from my doctor confirming the relevant details have been attached to this letter.

Please do well to contact me if you need any additional information.

Yours Sincerely,

{Your Name}

Annual Vacation Request Letter

Subject: Annual Leave Application

Dear Mr./Ms. {Recipient’s Name},

I write to inform you that I will be traveling with my family for a period of one month, between {start date} and {end date}. Due to the fact that my entire quota of annual leave sanctioned by the company is pending, I request you to adjust my leaves accordingly.

Following my earlier discussion with my team lead, I have requested my colleague, Mr./ Ms. {enter name} to take over my project while I am on leave. I have already handed over all material regarding the project to him/ her, and expect there to be no exigencies in my absence.

Due to the nature of my travel plans, I may not be available to take phone calls. I request you to address any urgent work-related matters to my email address {enter email ID}.

I will be grateful for a positive reply to my leave request.

Thanks and regards,

{Your Name}

How Employers & HRs Can Receive Leave Application Requests

With online forms, Formplus provides a flexible way to store your received data in the cloud storage of choice. You also have the option to opt-out of storing your data on our servers

With unlimited file uploads, users can submit online forms without any restriction to the size or number of files that can be uploaded, Formplus is a great tool to manage employee data. 

Form analytics and reports also give you an insight into an overview of the data submitted to your form.

 Top Leave Application Template for HR and Employers

• Maternity Leave Application Form 

This online maternity leave application form is for a pregnant employee intending to apply for maternity leave as the delivery period nears. This request will help you plan ahead and help solve challenges that may arrive as a result of an employee leave which might be up to 6 months, depending on the labor laws in your country. 

• Paternity Leave Application 

Form Formplus’ online paternity leave application form allows your employees to apply for paternity leave when expecting a baby. That is if the labor laws grant prospective Fathers paternity leave when expecting a child with their partners.

• Sick Leave Form

This sickness notification form template allows your employees to formally notify you of their illness and unavailability to work. With this form, you can track all sick notifications from employees.

• Travel Request Form 

With the online travel request form template, you can let your prospective customers, employees or ward request for a travel package for business trips, holidays, honeymoons, pilgrimage, etc. This travel request template is perfect for travel agencies, employers and tour consultants.

FAQs on Writing a Leave Application.

Q: What should I include in a leave application? 

Your leave application should have your name/personal details, a clear subject line, the receiver’s information, a formal salutation, the reason for the leave and the duration, your contact information, and your plans on how your responsibilities would be handled in your absence.

Q: How long should a leave application be? 

A leave application should be at most one page long. Your application should be paunchy and straight to the point.

Q: Can I apply for leave via email?

Yes, you can apply for your leave via email.

Q: How far in advance should I submit my leave application?

A minimum of two weeks’ notice is ideal, so you can give your employer time to make plans to manage your absence.

Q: How should I address my leave application if it’s for an emergency?

Communicate the emergency, apologize for the short notice, and provide the time you expect to be away.

Q: Do I need to provide a reason for my leave? 

Only if it is an emergency or unplanned. To be on the safe side, check the leave policy of your organization.

Q: What should I do if my leave application is denied? 

If this happens politely ask for clarity and check for possible alternatives in terms of dates or adjustment of the duration.

Conclusion

On the whole, a leave application letter should contain a valid reason for your leave application, which should convince the employer and make him grant you leave. 

If you are having a reasonable enough claim for leave application then your request will not be declined without any justification, particularly, when it is due to some personal reasons, could be an illness, urgent piece of work or for visiting sick parents, etc

Most importantly, the leave application should not sound friendly or casual; rather it must be formal and professionally-written.