How to Ask for Time Off: An Email Template

It’s never easy to send this sort of email to your boss – particularly if you’re grieving or in shock. Whether it’s a death in the family or you’ve just gotten some bad news from your doctor, you don’t need to go into a tonne of detail in order to keep your workplace in the loop.

If you have a great relationship with your manager, fantastic – you can probably have this conversation in person. But if you don’t – or you just don’t want to have such a personal conversation face-to-face, these templates will help you out. 

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There’s been a family emergency

Subject line: Request for personal leave

Hi Will,

I’d like to put in an application for XX days of personal leave between [insert period]. Sadly, [include brief summary e.g. there has been a death in the family/ a sickness in the family/my husband and I are in the process of a separation].

As I am sure you can appreciate, this is a difficult time for us and I need to take time off to [support my family/ care for my family member/ work things out with my husband].

I understand that it’s an extremely busy time in the office with [insert specific project], so should my leave be approved, I will be sure to brief [insert colleague you work most closely with] on the most urgent matters to ensure that things run smoothly in my absence.

Best regards,

[Your name] 

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You’re seriously injured or ill 

Subject line: Request for personal leave

Hi Jane,

I’d like to put in my application for personal leave for [insert dates]. I don’t want to go into too much detail, but unfortunately I was diagnosed with [brief summary e.g. cancer or just say a serious health issue] earlier this week.

As I am sure you can appreciate, this came as quite a shock to me and I will need to take some time off to digest the news and organise treatment. At this stage, the doctors don’t know how long the treatment/my recovery will take, however should I require more leave, I’ll let you know.

In the meantime, I’ve organised to get [most relevant colleague] across the most pressing matters of my [specific projects] to make sure that things run smoothly in my absence.

I’m also happy to make myself available over the phone should any urgent matters arise.

As always, your support is greatly appreciated.

Best regards,

[Your name]

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Agonising over how to write a tough work email? Here are 10 pre-written email templates to make your work life infinitely easier!