We all take leaves at different points in our career. Whether it’s a short or a long leave, certain things in life are unavoidable and simply need us to pause our work to cater to them.
Sometimes you get ill, or there is someone ill in the family, or there is death in the family. Other times you are getting married or are going on a vacation. Whatever the reason might be, you will be taking leave/s from your job.
To guarantee that you convince your employer of your reasons for taking leaves and that they permit you, you should write a perfect leave application. But to write one you ought to know how to.
A leave application is requesting some time off work in a professional manner. Your leave application should be honest, specific and detailed.
What you mention and how you mention things in your leave application will decide whether you will get the leave or not.
Traditionally letter format was common to write and send leave application but in today’s world due to technological advancement, email format has completely taken over.
When it comes to writing a leave application, there are some guidelines you can follow. Considering these tips will help make your leave application a perfect one.
Use respectful and courteous language.
Make sure your application is written strictly in a formal tone.
Be specific with details such as reason, dates and time.
Attach supporting documents if required.
Recheck for typos, grammatical errors or any other mistakes.
Make sure your reasons are valid so that they can convince your employer.
Provide the notice as early as possible.
These sections are about writing down precise details which give the needed information to your employer regarding your situation that prompted you to prepare a leave application.
Salutation is a greeting used in an application. Since you are writing a leave application opt for formal salutations. Write dear Mr/Mrs followed by recipients name.
Salutation is how you address the person who receives your application which is likely to be your employer or manager.
In the subject section, you should mention the purpose of your application. It should be kept short and accurate.
Whether it’s a medical leave, paternity or maternity leave, or any other leave depending on the circumstances, you should write that as your subject on your leave application.
Provide your employer with valid reasons regarding your leave explaining with precision and honesty.
Make sure you are direct, clear and polite while phrasing your reason for leave. Your employer must understand the reason so that they can be convinced too.
Employees can take different types of leave and your reason differs depending on the type of leave you are planning on taking. Be mindful of that.
How many days are you intending to stay on leave for? You should include that on your leave application as well.
A perfect leave application requires you to specify the duration with dates and it also helps your employer to easily grasp what exact dates you will be absent from work.
That means to mention the specific dates you will be unavailable for work. Moreover, you should write down the departure date and the date you will get back to work.
This is an important detail, especially for a perfect leave application. As an employee what are your plans to make it for the time lost during your absence?
Perhaps you are willing to work few extra hours after you return to work. Or maybe one of your coworkers will fill in for you. Here, you need to plan and include that in your leave application.
Besides, you should also mention if your employers and colleagues can reach out to you in case of an emergency during the time of your absence.
Formal closing
This is where you bring your perfect leave application to an end in a formal manner. When concluding a leave application make sure your closings are appropriate.
So, thank you employer for considering your leave application followed by a formal closing. Some of the examples of formal closings are sincerely yours, best regards, respectfully and so on.
Afterwards, write down your correct contact information so your employers and colleagues can reach out to you if an emergency arises during your leave.
You should mention your full name, address, email, and phone number. You can also add your job position here but that is not compulsory.
And lastly, a signature of yours will make it a perfect leave application. So add your signature at the bottom of the leave application and voila you are good to go.
Leave applications always have some points you should avoid including. You want to make as few errors as possible.
Considering what points to steer clear of will help make your leave application perfect and also increases the chances of your request for leave being granted.
Avoid writing your leave application in a casual tone.
Avoid typos, grammatical and punctuation errors.
Avoid addressing the recipient with “To whom it may concern”.
Avoid irrelevant information and difficult terms.
Avoid unconvincing choice of words and language.
Subject: Sick Leave Application
Dear Mr./Mrs. (Recipient’s name)
I would like to inform you that I have come down with a bad fever. And I don’t think I will be able to come to work for (number of days). I am writing this letter to request you to grant me leave from (date) to (date).
As advised by the doctor, I have to be on medications for (number of days) and take complete bed rest. I have also attached a medical certificate approved by my doctor which confirms the time required to recover from the illness.
Please feel free to contact me on my email if you have any questions about my sick leave or work. I have also requested (coworker’s name) to fill in for me if need be during my absence.
Thank you for considering my (number of days) of sick leave application.
Sincerely yours,
[Employee Name]
By now you must have understood what it takes to write a perfect leave application.
You should consider these steps and avoid some points and importantly, focus on making your reason sound convincing. Now go get that leave day with utmost honesty.