How To Write A Leave Application (with 7+ Samples & Formats)

Circumstances will usually arise at the workplace or school that necessitate a break for some time. Prior to attending to the break, a request to that effect has to be submitted to the line managers or relevant authorities. This request is availed via the leave application.

Here is a quick guide and sample leave application templates to help you.

Though these leave applications vary significantly from one setting to another, they nonetheless exhibit some unifying characteristics. These are evidenced by the kinds of information and items that they contain overall:

• Salutation – It is the greeting that comes in the form of the utterance or gesture. This greeting addresses the person to whom the letter is addressed principally by establishing a connection between the write and the reader.
• The subject of the leave application – A one-line description of the overall intent of the letter. Needless to say, the subject has to include the words ‘leave application’ in it.
• Request for the leave – This forms the core of the letter. It is at this stage that you spell out the exact reasons for requesting the leave. You have to hit the nail on the head by avoiding ambiguous terms and words.
• Dates affected by the leave – You no doubt have to spell out the dates that are to be affected by your leave of absence. Be explicit by showcasing the days of the week that correspond to those dates as well as the sum total duration of time.
• Closing Remarks – It is always a matter of courtesy to include some closing remarks as you wrap up the letter. These remarks show politeness and also implore the reader to consider the letter favorably.
• Signature – It goes without saying that you have to append your signature and date the same for the sake of the legality that the letter is to attain.

To be able to draft a quality letter, you no doubt have to attain guidance to that effect. This guidance generally comes in the form of a template. The templates generally provide the skeleton against which you fill in the blanks and conclude the letter wholly. Here are some examples in both the PDF and Word formats to get you started out.

Other than the use of templates, you also have to adhere to some essential tips to be able to draft a quality leave application letter. We dedicate this segment of the discussions to look into the tips that maybe are very basic but necessary:

• Draft the letter in a manner that is polite in order to make it sound realistic
• Maintain the depth of the application (don’t be too short or straightforward)
• Keep the application brief and to the point by avoiding unnecessarily long stories
• Proof-read and edit the letter by weeding out any grammatical errors

Applications for sick leave

As the name implies, this is a request that seeks to absolve you from any responsibilities for the sake of attending to your sickness. It is mainly employed at the workplace and in school. The doctors have to sign it to make it acquire the official character. The leave contains:

• The nature of the sickness
• Dates affected by the leave
• The entire duration of the leave
• Doctor’s signatures and recommendations
• Expected date of return

Leave for visiting a doctor

Just like the sick leave above, this one too is employed when asking for permission to attend to a sickness. Unlike the sick leave above, this one may not necessarily want to reverse a sickness. It could be used to honor a doctor’s appointment. The document contains:

• The name of the doctor to be visited
• Location of the visit
• Purpose of the visit
• The dates affected by the visit
• Signatures of the doctor concerned

Medical Leave

Those employees with some underlying medical issues may be eligible for the medical leaves. These are basically times off work which are used to address those underlying health problems. The document mainly showcases the official permission from the relevant authority. It contains:

• The nature of the health issue at hand
• The medical institution in charge of the problem
• Times affected by the leave itself
• Anticipated date of return
• Signatures of the various doctors and supporting affidavits

Leave for marriage

Prior to getting married, any employee is entitled to absence from work for a limited duration of time without the possible loss of wages. The permission to that end is sought for and issues out via the leave for marriage. This document contains the following vital pieces of information:

• When the marriage formalization is to take place
• The dates that shall be affected by the ceremony
• Presiding officer of the marriage
• The name of the partner of the spouse
• Accompanying relevant signatures to that effect

Maternity/paternity leave

If panning to deliver a child or just have delivered one, both sets of parents are entitled to paternity or maternity leave. To receive this permission, it is necessary that you apply for it. The maternity/paternity leave endeavors to do just that. This leave contains the following pieces of information:

• How long the leave is supposed to last
• The anticipated date of return to work
• Proof of the existence of the child
• Names of the parents concerned
• Signatures from the relevant healthcare institutions

Leave for urgent piece of work

It is not uncommon for some urgent tasks to arise in the course of attending to some employments. For this, you have to excuse yourself from the workplace temporarily though. To gain this exemption, you have to draft and seek permission to that end. This one does that. It contains the following details:

• The nature of the work
• An explanation of what really makes it urgent
• The dates affected by the leave
• How the time lost shall be compensated later
• Proof of the existence of the work

Annual leave request

Almost all salaried employees are entitled to some annual leave. They take some time off each year to rest but still get paid in the process. Some companies require the employees to ask for this leave. That requires the drafting of the annual leave request. The request has these pieces of information:

• Name of the worker
• The year affected by the leave
• The duration of the leave
• Any relevant clauses that oversee such leaves
• Salary and benefit processing details

Study leave

Just like the marriage leaves stated above, the workers may also be entitled to some study leaves. In this regard, they take a breather from work for the sale of furthering their studies and knowhow. Many companies require their workers to draft a permission to that end. The letter contains:

• The duration of time of the leave
• The institution of study and the course thereof
• Supporting documents to that effect
• How the various deductions shall be affected
• Any support that the employee has to give in the transition period

Family support leave

Some regions are a bit generous with their rules as regards family matters. They do give their employees ample time to support their families. The family support leave exists to handle and facilitate such requests. This letter comprises the following vital pieces of information:

• The entire length of time of the leave
• The nature of the support that has to be granted to the family
• When the employee is likely to come back
• How the loss of productivity is to be handled
• The manner in which the transition is to be cared for

Leave for community service

In certain areas, every able-bodied adult has to take a break from work and take part in community service. This however is hinged on the goodwill and discretion of the employer. A permission to that effect has to be sought in most cases. Such a permission comprises the following details:

• The area of jurisdiction that the community service touches on
• The dates that the service shall run and be effective
• Signatures from the various persons in charge of the permission
• Any supportive evidence to the effect of the permission
• How the transition period is to be cared for

Leave applications for visiting sick mother or father

Mothers and fathers are never put at par with the rest of the kin as they are special. They instead are handled diversely from the rest. That is why a special category of permission is allotted to them. This has to be sought specially. The permission comprises the following elements:

• Name of the mother or father
• The nature of the sickness at hand
• The institution in which the said person is hospitalized
• Supportive affidavits or health records
• Signatures of the relevant parties

Leave for vacation

Before going for a vacation, you definitely have to seek the permission of the company that you work for. You will no doubt have to draft a leave for vacation letter. As its name implies, this one asks the company to let you attend the leave. It has these pieces of information:

• The start and the end dates of the vacation
• The destination of the vacation
• The entire duration of the vacation
• Whether you are entitled to the pay in the meantime
• Any relevant signatures that vouch for the vacation

Leave due to adverse weather

Weather is largely unpredictable. Some weather patterns like floods, hurricanes, typhoons, and excess snow may occasion absence from work for some time. This notwithstanding, you have to seek official permission to the effect. The letter in this regard contains these pieces of information:

• The nature of the adverse weather
• The dates that the adversity is likely to affect
• How the adversity has or is likely to affect your productivity
• How you intend to make up for the time lost
• Some supporting facts e.g. weather data

Sabbatical leave

From time to time, organizations do offer their employees sabbatical leave. This is a period of time when they do not report to work but are nonetheless still employed in the firms and entitled to some pay. This leave may be requested or granted automatically. If it is to be requested, it has to contain:

• The period of time when the leave is to be effective
• References to the various clauses and laws that govern the same
• The entire length of time that the leave is to last
• How the time lost is to be catered for later
• How you intend to cooperate with the rest of employees in the meantime

Unpaid leave

Some companies may offer unpaid leave to their employees. These are times off duty but which the employees are not entitled to any pay at all. Such leaves are often for reasons other than those stipulated in the employment contract. To accrue this leave, you have to draft a letter that spells out:

• The purpose of the leave
• The start and the end times of the leaves
• How you plan to care for the time lost
• What makes this leave inevitable or ‘must attend’
• Any references to the laws and clauses that relate to the leave

Leave for appearing as a witness in court

Once in a while, you may usually be required to appear as a witness in a court of law. You of course have to seek permission to that effect. That permission exists in the form of the leave for appearing as a witness in court. The letter has these pieces of information:

• The dates when you shall be absent form work
• The court concerned with the case
• Why you inevitably had to appear as a witness
• Supporting signs and documents that vouch for your attendance
• When you shall come back and resume work

Religious observance leave

Each year, there are a number of religious ceremonies and events that transpire. These events may require that you detach from your usual work to attend to them fully. You nonetheless have to seek express permission to attend them. The permission you seek has to contain these details:

• The exact religious ceremony at hand
• When the ceremony shall take place
• How long the ceremony shall last
• The significance of the ceremony to you
• When you expect to resume duty after the ceremony ends

Funeral leave

Like it or not, at one point or another, your friend, relative or someone you are close to will pass on. Yu will subsequently have to detach yourself from work to attend the funeral. To do that, you will have to draft a permission for funeral leave. The letter has the following vital details:

• The name of the dead person
• How the dead person is related to you
• When the funeral is to take place
• How long the entire ordeal is to last
• When you expect to resume duties after the funeral

Pregnancy leave

Pregnancies are never really easy. They do take a toll on the women who go through them. That is why it is only fair if they are taken good care of. One sure way of doing this is to leverage the pregnancy leave. This requires that you draft permission that showcases:

• The start and the end dates of the pregnancy
• Expected date of delivery
• The kind of support you want the firm to give you
• How you plan to aid with the transition
• Whether you might be available for consultation while away

Temporary disability leave

Life is somewhat unpredictable. From time to time, issues might arise that cause temporary disabilities. These include accidents and injuries. You might never really be able to attend to your normal chores with this disability at hand. That is why you have to seek permission that indicates:

• The nature of the temporary disability
• The root-cause of the temporary disability
• How the disability impedes or has impeded your productivity
• When you expect to resume duty
• Any support you would want the firm to give you

Leave for childcare

Taking care of a newborn is never really easy, especially if it is the first one. You can never hope to do so well without taking some time off duty. That demands that you draft a letter for leave for childcare. This letter has to demonstrate the following details:

• The age or date of birth of the child
• How long the leave is to last
• What roles you intend to play in all these
• How soon you expect to resume duty
• Any support that the firm is to give you all the while

Having looked at the various kinds of leave applications, we are now confident that you have the armory you need to draft such a letter with maximum efficacy. All you have to do is follow the prompts and instructions we have issued out to the letter. We wish you all the best in your subsequent endeavors.