Leave of Absence Letter

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Leave of Absence Letter

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

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Last updated August 18th, 2025

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

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Common Uses

  • Maternity/Parental Leave
  • Mental Health
  • Family Emergencies
  • Medical Leave
  • Bereavement

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.
  • Fostering or adopting a child.
  • Caring for a spouse, child, or parent.
  • Health complications.
  • Leave for family member’s military duties.

Employers can choose to approve a leave request for circumstances other than those listed 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.

Leave of Absence Definition

A leave of absence is time off from work requested by an employee to attend to personal matters or life events. Unlike paid time off (PTO), a leave of absence is not typically compensated, though employers may choose to provide pay at their discretion.

Sample

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EMPLOYEE LEAVE OF ABSENCE LETTER

[EMPLOYEE NAME]
[EMPLOYEE TITLE]
[EMPLOYEE ADDRESS]
[EMPLOYEE CITY/STATE/ZIP]

Date: [MM/DD/YYYY]

[EMPLOYER NAME/TITLE]
[COMPANY NAME]
[COMPANY ADDRESS]
[COMPANY CITY/STATE/ZIP]

Dear [RECIPIENT NAME],

I am writing to you to formally request a leave of absence for the following reasons:
[LEAVE REASON].

I will need to be absent from work for [NUMBER OF DAYS] starting on [MM/DD/YYYY] and ending on [MM/DD/YYYY]. My return to work date will be [MM/DD/YYYY].

I have arranged for my work to be adequately covered during my absence. I will be available for work-related questions via email or phone at:
[PHONE NUMBER]
[EMAIL ADDRESS]

Don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or need further information.

Sincerely,
                                                            
[EMPLOYEE NAME]

Sources

  1. 29 U.S.C § 2612(a)(1)