In this brief guide, we will look at a list of unpaid leave of absence letter samples.
Unpaid Leave of Absence Letter Sample
An unpaid leave of absence letter may be given in a circumstance where you have a situation that needs to be taken care of and you need to take a short period of time off in order to do so, but since it is not sanctioned under any particular leaves, you take time off without pay.
An unpaid leave of absence letter is similar to most other professional letters, and in that it is meant to be professional and brief, and the better thing to do is always to talk to your employer before you hand in the letter and get their verbal permission first, rather than blindside them with a letter without telling them what is going on.
You may cite anything in a letter of this sort, as you will see in every unpaid leave of absence letter sample below.
According to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the breakdown of unpaid leave of absence may also be applicable like this:
“The FMLA entitles eligible employees of covered employers to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons with continuation of group health insurance coverage under the same terms and conditions as if the employee had not taken leave.
Eligible employees are entitled to:
- Twelve workweeks of leave in a 12-month period for:
- the birth of a child and to care for the newborn child within one year of birth;
- the placement with the employee of a child for adoption or foster care and to care for the newly placed child within one year of placement;
- to care for the employee’s spouse, child, or parent who has a serious health condition;
- a serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the essential functions of his or her job;
- any qualifying exigency arising out of the fact that the employee’s spouse, son, daughter, or parent is a covered military member on “covered active duty;” or
- Twenty-six workweeks of leave during a single 12-month period to care for a covered servicemember with a serious physical damage or illness if the eligible employee is the service member’s spouse, son, daughter, parent, or next of kin (military caregiver leave).”
An employer cannot refuse leave of absence for any of the reasons mentioned above.
Unpaid Leave of Absence Letter Sample 1
The first unpaid leave of absence letter sample in the list is a brief and concise one, which is great from the point of staying professional and formal. This letter covers only the important points, and it also alludes to the person having had a conversation with the employer before they sent the letter.
“Your Name
Your Address
Your City, State Zip Code
Your Phone Number
Date
Supervisor’s Name
Title
Organization
Address
City, State Zip Code
Dear Mr./Ms. [Last Name]:
This letter is a formal request for a leave of absence, to follow up on our meeting yesterday. As we discussed, I would like to request a leave of absence from August 31, 2020, through October 30, 2020.
I will return to work on November 2, 2020.
If approved, I would be glad to help with a plan to cover my workload in my absence. I would also be available to answer questions and provide assistance while I am away.
Please let me know whether you require any additional information. Thank you very much for your consideration of my request.
Sincerely,
Your Signature (hard copy letter)
Your Typed Name”
Unpaid Leave of Absence Letter Sample 2
As discussed previously in this article, the FMLA says that the employee is eligible for an unpaid leave of absence due to medical reasons, and the same is true in this case, as the person is requesting an unpaid leave of absence through the letter for medical reasons.
“Aug. 8, 20XX
Roberto Diaz
ABC Company, Inc.
1234 E. Main St.
San Diego, CA 92101
Dear Mr. Diaz,
I am writing to request a one-month medical leave of absence beginning Monday, Sept. 10, and ending Wednesday, Oct. 10. I will be having surgery—my surgeon has ordered a minimum three-week recovery period (see doctor’s signed recommendation attached.)
I am happy to assist in handling any necessary preparations before beginning my leave, including training colleagues on upcoming projects. Thank you so much for your understanding.
Sincerely,
Dave Smith”
Unpaid Leave of Absence Letter Sample 3
This is another great unpaid leave of absence letter sample, as it is concise, brief, and professional, and it manages to provide all the necessary details that the employer may need, and it does so without engaging in too many details.
This is another example of an unpaid leave of absence letter for personal matters, and it gives a good insight into how this reason may be presented.
“Feb. 1, 20XX
Deborah Jones
ABC Company, Inc.
1234 E. Main St.
San Diego, CA 92101
Dear Ms. Jones,
I am submitting this request for a leave of absence to tend to important personal matters beginning next month. If possible, I would like to take my leave beginning March 15 and return to the office on April 3, 20XX.
I can make myself available intermittently to answer questions via phone or email, and am happy to do whatever necessary to ensure a smooth transition before my leave begins.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Johanna Jansen”
Unpaid Leave of Absence Letter Sample 4
This is a more detailed unpaid leave of absence letter sample, and it goes into some detail of the help the person is willing to provide while they are gone, and it provides a space for someone to fill in their own reason for wanting to take a leave of absence.
“Insert Your Name
Insert Your Home Mailing Address
Insert City, State, Zip
Date
Recipient’s Name (Supervisor or HR Contact)
Company Name
Mailing Address
City, State, Zip
Mr./Ms./Mrs. Last Name:
The purpose of this letter is to request approval for a leave of absence from my position with insert company name from insert beginning date through insert ending date. The reason for this request is (briefly explain the reason that you are requesting time off from work, being sure that it is consistent with your company’s leave of absence policy requirements).
I will make sure that you and any other employees who may be impacted by my leave of absence are aware of the status of any pending projects and client expectations well in advance of my departure, and I will be happy to train any co-workers who will handle my duties while I am out. Additionally, during the time I am on leave, I can be reached at insert cell number and insert a personal email address if there are any questions about my work.
It is my full intention to return to work as scheduled, and do not expect to need to request additional time off for this matter beyond the dates indicated above. Please let me know if you need any additional information, and let me know your decision as soon as possible. I will need to know if my request is approved no later than the insert date. Thank you for your consideration.
Regards,
Insert Your Name”
Unpaid Leave of Absence Letter Sample 5
This unpaid leave of absence letter sample is taking a leave of 2 months for personal reasons, and if you too need to take time off of work for personal reasons, you do not need to specify why you are doing so and you may simply mention that you have personal issues to take care of.
In addition, it mentions where the person will be at this time, (staying with family in another city), which is necessary if you are going on a long leave and may not be reachable or reachable with difficulty, and you need to provide adequate details of contact to your employer in case they need you.
“Your Name
Your Address
Your City, State Zip Code
Your Phone Number
Date
Name
Title
Organization
Address
City, State Zip Code
Dear Mr./Ms. [Last Name]:
I would like to formally request a two-month leave of absence for personal reasons. If possible, I would like the leave from work to begin on August 1, 2019, with a return date of October 1, 2019.
If approved, I will be staying with family in [Anycity] during this time period, and I would be glad to assist with any questions via email or phone whenever possible.
Thank you very much for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Your Signature (hard copy letter)
Your Typed Name”
Unpaid Leave of Absence Letter Sample 6
This is an extremely brief unpaid leave of absence letter and it does not specify the reason for taking the leave either.
However, it provides all the necessary details required for the records and it also does not provide too many complicated details that may be confusing to the reader.
“Date: February 7, 2019
To,
[ATTN]
[ADDRESS]
[POSTAL CODE]
[COUNTRY]
Subject: Unpaid Leave request
To Whom It May Concern / Dear Mr., Mrs.,
Hereby, I would like to request a 1-month unpaid leave, starting this June 30th. I will be returning to the factory on July 31st to pick up my duties. The reason for my extended leave is
[REASON UNPAID LEAVE].
I have several projects in the pipeline, and since I will be working on them from home, my work will not be affected. If someone needs to contact me from the office I will try to be available via [phone/ email] in case of any query.
Thank you for considering my request. Looking forward to your confirmation,
Yours sincerely,
(name)
[Signature]”
Conclusion
In this brief guide, we looked at a list of unpaid leave of absence letter samples. Please feel free to reach out to us with any questions or comments you may have.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Unpaid Leave of Absence Letter Sample
How do I write a letter asking for unpaid leave?
To write a letter asking for unpaid leave one might write something like this, “I would like to take an unpaid leave from [start date] to [end date] due to [some reason]”. Apologize for the short notice if necessary. Example: “I am sorry for the short notice but I was caught off guard and did not expect this to happen at all.” Specify who is going to cover for you while you are on leave.
Is an unpaid leave of absence a qualifying event?
Yes, an unpaid leave of absence is a qualifying event.
When one takes an unpaid leave of absence, the employee and dependent coverage may drop and it may get reinstated when they return to work.
Can I get fired for taking unpaid leave?
No, you cannot get fired for taking unpaid leave for being sick or physical damaged if you are able to provide evidence of their illness or physical damage, or if you have family or personal reasons.
Other Sample resignation & Leave letters you may like
Below is a list of other sample resignation letters we have curated.
Remember, your health comes first and if you are feeling exhausted or work is simply stressing you out then taking a break doesn’t make you weak but strong.
If you’re facing this, it may be a good idea to seek the help of a therapist or other mental health professional. You can find a therapist at BetterHelp who can help you learn how to cope and address it.
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Citations
https://business.lovetoknow.com/business-communications-sample-letters/sample-leave-absence-letter
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/formal-leave-of-absence-letter-request-example-2060597