Submitting a leave application is an essential step if you are planning to be absent from your job for a certain period of time. You can write a leave application in different styles and formats. A good leave application should include specific details like duration of leave, reason for leave and work plan during your leave. In this article, we will discuss how to write an effective office leave application in letter and email formats and provide you some samples for different situations.
Why should you submit an office leave application?
Most companies require you to submit a leave application before you take any planned leave. You may also have to submit a leave application when you report to work after taking any unplanned leave. A leave application formally requests your employer to approve your absence from work due to the reason stated in the application. You may be liable for disciplinary action for leave taken without the approval of your supervisor.
Even if submitting a leave application is not mandatory in your company, it is always better to submit one as a matter of professional courtesy. Intimating your absence formally goes a long way in keeping you in good books of your employer.
Read More: What Is a Sabbatical Leave From Work?
What to include in a leave application
An office leave application should include the following details:
- Date of the application
- Name and address of your manager to whom you are writing the letter
- Subject or purpose of writing the letter
- Salutation in the form of recipient’s name or title
- Duration of leave, preferably in the form of from and to dates
- Specific reason for leave
- Work plan during the period of your leave
- Your name, job title and contact information
- Your signature
How to write a leave application for office
Your leave application for office should sound polite and professional and include all the necessary details to help your manager approve your request. Use the following tips and steps to write a professional leave application:
- Review your company’s leave policy. Review the rules of your company to ascertain your leave entitlement. Usually you need to complete a stipulated period of service to be entitled for privileged or earned leaves. Moreover, you must take a minimum stipulated number of earned leaves at one stretch. On the other hand, casual leaves are offered for a short duration of two or three days to meet any sudden unforeseen emergency. Based on your company rules, decide whether you can club one type of leave with another. If you have no leave balance, you may still be eligible for leave without pay.
- Know the right person to authorise your leave. Find out whether you should address your leave application to your immediate supervisor or someone else. If you have any confusion, contact your HR manager.
- Begin with the date. This is the date on which you are writing your leave application. Make sure this date is not too far from the date on which you plan to submit your application.
- Write the name and address of the recipient. Include the complete name, designation and official address of the person you are addressing your leave request to.
- Include a subject line. Make the purpose of the letter clear in the subject line. It should clearly state that you are requesting a leave. You may omit the subject in a printed or hand-written application, but make sure you do not miss it in an email.
- Add a salutation. You may begin with ‘Dear Mr./Mrs.’ followed by the last name of the recipient. For example, ‘Dear Mr. Agarwal’. If you are using ‘ji’ after the name, you may either use the first name and middle name or just the last name, but you need not use ‘Mr./Mrs.’ For example, just say ‘Dear Agarwalji’ or ‘Dear Jay Kumarji’ instead of ‘Dear Mr. Agarwalji’ or ‘Dear Mr. Jay Kumarji’.
- Make a formal request for leave. Mention the duration and reason for leave in clear terms. Wherever possible, state the starting and ending dates for the requested period of leave. Try to convince the recipient about the urgency of the leave.
- State the work plan in your absence. Include the name of the person who is going to look after your duties in your absence. If you plan to carry out some part of your duties remotely, mention it in your leave request.
- Use polite and professional language. Convey your concern and request for leave in a polite and professional manner. Make sure you sound courteous and cooperative instead of demanding. Consider using words like request, kindly, grant, obliged, grateful, etc.
- Keep it short. While you should include all the essential details, keep the application short and precise. It will save your supervisor’s time, minimise the chances of confusion and also send across a positive impression that you value others’ time.
- Conclude your application. Close your leave application professionally with a phrase such as ‘Warm Regards’, ‘Yours Sincerely’, etc. followed by your name. Also include your job title and contact information. Unless you are sending your leave request through email, you should also sign your leave application.
- Proofread your leave application. Consider reading aloud your application to yourself. This can reveal any readability issues, typos or grammatical errors. Double-check the leave dates and other information you have provided in the application. Make necessary corrections to make the application factually accurate and free from any error.
Once your leave application is ready, you should submit it well before the time. Try to give your manager as much advance notice as possible so that he or she gets enough time to plan the work flow in your absence.
Read More: Everything You Should Know About Working From Home
Leave application format for employee
The following is the basic format for a leave application:
[Date]
[Name of the recipient]
[Designation, company name and address of the recipient]
Subject: Request for [casual/sick/any other type of] leave
Dear Mr./Mrs. [recipient’s last name],
[Body of the letter: Request for leave. Include the duration of leave, reason for leave and the work plan in your absence]
[Thank you note: Thank the recipient for considering your leave application]
Yours Sincerely,
[Your Signature]
[Your Name]
[Your job title and contact details]
Leave request format for email
The following is a sample format for office leave request through email:
[Email ID of the recipient]
Subject line: Request for [casual/sick/any other type of] leave
Dear Mr./Mrs. [recipient’s last name],
[Body of the letter: Request for leave. Include the duration of leave, reason for leave and the work plan in your absence]
[Thank you note: Thank the recipient for considering your leave application]
Yours Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your job title and contact details]
Sample leave applications for office
The following are some sample leave applications for different situations:
Sample leave application for office for personal reason
Here is an example of a simple leave application for personal reason:
28 August 2020
To,
Shri Narayan Upadhyay,
Project Manager,
Ridhi Siddhi Capital Private Limited,
New Delhi
Subject: Leave application for a day due to personal reason
Dear Shri Narayan Upadhyayji,
I would like to inform you that I will not be able to come to office on 31 August 2020, Monday since I will be visiting my home town for some urgent personal work at home. I will be back to work on Tuesday, 1 September 2020.
I request you to kindly grant me leave for one day. I have asked Rakesh to look after any urgent work that may come up in my absence. I will also be available on my mobile number for any clarification.
Please accept my apologies for this sudden unplanned leave request.
Thank you in advance.
Yours Sincerely,
[Signature]
Praveen Daima
Mobile: +91-XXXXXXXXXX
Sample leave application for marriage
The following is an example of a leave application for marriage:
24 August 2020
To,
The Manager,
Reddy Lifespace Ventures Limited,
Visakhapatnam
Subject: Leave request for three days to attend my brother’s marriage
Dear Sir,
This is to inform you that I need leave from 1 September 2020 to 3 September 2020 (three days) as I need to be with my family in Hyderabad to attend my brother’s marriage. I will be back in office on 4 September 2020 (Friday).
I have completed all the work assigned until now. I have also emailed you a copy of the work plan during my absence. I will be available on my mobile phone and personal email for any clarification.
I hope you will consider my leave application positively.
Thank you for your kind consideration.
Yours Sincerely,
V. Karthik
Project Marketing Team
Mobile: +91-XXXXXXXXXX
Email: vkarthik@gmail.com
Maternity leave application sample
The following is a sample application for maternity leave:
31 August 2020
To,
Ms. Rashmi Khanna
HR Manager,
Amrit Lifesciences Limited,
Mumbai
Subject: Maternity leave application
Dear Ms. Khanna,
I would like to inform you that I will be on maternity leave for a period of three months, from 8 September 2020 to 7 December 2020. I hope to rejoin the duty from 8 December 2020.
Since this is going to be a long leave, I have authorised Garima to take over my duties during these three months and I am thankful to her for accepting the same.
Please find attached my medical certificate and other documents required for maternity leave.
Kindly also email me the list of hospitals covered by our company’s employee insurance policy.
Feel free to contact me on my mobile phone in the case of any emergency.
Thank you for your help and understanding.
Warm Regards,
Rhitika Kapoor
Mobile: +91-XXXXXXXXXX