Leave of Absence Letter

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Leave of Absence Letter

A leave of absence letter is an employee’s request to their employer to take time off work. The letter specifies the reason for the absence, the duration, and when the employee will return to work. If accepted, the letter can be kept in the employer’s records for future reference.

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Last updated July 30th, 2025

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A leave of absence letter is an employee’s request to their employer to take time off work. The letter specifies the reason for the absence, the duration, and when the employee will return to work. If accepted, the letter can be kept in the employer’s records for future reference.

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Taking Leave from Work

The FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act) entitles eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks off in certain situations, including[1]:

  • Maternity leave
  • Adoption or foster care placement of a child
  • Caring for a relative
  • Health complications
  • Military duty

Employers may choose whether or not to approve a leave request for situations other than the above. To take leave from work, employees should notify their employer as early as possible by submitting a leave of absence letter informing them of their situation.

Common Uses

  • Personal obligations
  • Mental health
  • Family emergencies
  • Medical issues
  • Bereavement

Sample

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EMPLOYEE LEAVE OF ABSENCE LETTER

Date: [MM/DD/YYYY]
Recipient Name: [RECIPIENT NAME]
Company Name: [COMPANY NAME]
Company Address: [COMPANY ADDRESS]

Dear ☐ Mr. ☐ Mrs. [RECIPIENT NAME],

I am writing to formally inform you that I will need to be absent from work for a period of time. Therefore, please accept this letter as a formal request for a leave of absence.

I am requesting a leave of [LEAVE DURATION]. The leave shall begin on [MM/DD/YYYY] and end on [MM/DD/YYYY]. I plan to return to work on [MM/DD/YYYY].

The reason for my requested absence is: [LEAVE REASON]

During my absence, I will be available to assist with any work-related questions. I can be reached at the following ☐ email: [EMPLOYEE EMAIL] and/or ☐ phone number: [EMPLOYEE PHONE].

Please let me know if you have any questions or need further information. Thank you very much for your consideration.

Employee Signature:                                                               Date: ______________
Print Name: [EMPLOYEE NAME] Title: [EMPLOYEE TITLE]

Sources

  1. 29 U.S.C § 2612(a)(1)