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Career Advice

Writing a Time Off Request: Tips and Template

writing a time off letter

Did you know that almost half of Americans who have paid time off (PTO) take less time than their employer offers? Some don’t want to fall behind in their work. Others fear letting down their bosses or colleagues. 

Yet, taking time to decompress is important because it helps prevent physical and mental health issues, accumulated due to prolonged stress and fatigue. Rest then leads to better cognitive performance, which increases your productivity and satisfaction. So you should never feel guilty about filing a time off request — and here’s how you do it. 

How to Request Time Off

Unfortunately, only three states (Maine, Nevada, and Illinois) have employment laws that mandate paid time off accumulation for employees. The rest leave the decision at the employer’s discretion. So the employer can legally deny your time off request unless it’s guaranteed by The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

Hence, you need to be strategic about how you frame your request and when you submit a time off request form. Here are our best tips. 

1. Review The Company Policy 

Companies can offer paid and unpaid time off. The amount and conditions are documented in your employment contract and company policies. 

You may have the following options: 

Paid Time OffUnpaid Time Off
Vacation time
Sick leave
Paid public holidays
Personal days
Parental leave
Bereavement leave
Military leave 
Parental leave under FMLA
Military family leave under FMLA
Unpaid leave of absence
Leave for jury duty
Unpaid sabbatical or vacations
Unpaid caretaker’s leave 

Read the PTO policy to how many days you have in total and what conditions apply for different types of absences. For example, your employer may allow you to only take seven consecutive days of vacation in a row or have a combination of paid and unpaid paternal leave options. 

2. Mind the Timing 

If you’re planning a short absence, check your current schedule for any deadlines or potential conflicts. Few bosses will happily approve time off when the work is hectic. In some cases, however, you can increase the approval odds by finding coverage for your shift. 

Likewise, you should file your request in advance. In some companies, vacation request forms must be submitted 14 days before the start date, for example. 

Yet, there are also several acceptable excuses for missing work on short notice including sickness, family emergencies, jury duty, and commute problems due to bad weather. Still, you must send your time off email request ASAP to allow your manager to make the necessary arrangements. 

3. Talk To Your Manager First 

Your supervisor must sign on your time off request. So it’s a good idea to give them a heads-up first. You can either send them an email or catch up with them face-to-face.

In most cases, you don’t need to explain the reason behind your request (unless you want to). However, your manager may appreciate the extra details if you’re requesting a longer leave or file an urgent request. 

Here’s a sample time off request email you can send to a manager: 

Subject:  PTO Request – [Amy Cho]

Hello Peter, 

I hope you’re doing well (and finally got that case resolved with Customer X billing)! I wanted to reach out about requesting paid time off to visit my family abroad for a wedding. 

The dates I’d like to be OOO are from October 20th to October 26th. To make things easier, I’ve talked with Lisa Connors and she’d be up for taking some of my morning shifts at this time in exchange for me covering for her later in the month. 

Let me know if this arrangement works for you. 

Regards,
Amy 

4. File a Time Off Request Form 

Depending on how things are set up with your company, you may need to submit a formal time off request form after you get the green light from your manager. This one should be filed with your HR department as it’s necessary to calculate payroll. 

A standard form will usually ask you to state the start and end date, total leave duration, and the type of leave requested (e.g., vacation, medical leave, personal day off, etc). It should also include any extra instructions, specific to your company. 

5. Update Your Status 

For longer time off, be sure to notify other members of your team. Update your work calendar availability and statuses in workplace communication tools (Slack, Teams, etc). 

You should also send an email out-of-office autoresponder, informing you when you’ll be back at your desk. A good OOO email includes your return date and the contact details of a person who’s covering for you. 

Bonus: Swipeable Time Off Request Template

Hi [Manager’s Name],

I hope you’re having a good week! I’d like to request some time off from [start date] to [end date], totaling [number of days]. 

I’ve checked the calendar, and there are no scheduling conflicts or urgent deadlines, plus I’ll ensure a smooth handover and coordinate coverage for any responsibilities during my leave.

Please let me know if these dates work or if any adjustments are needed.
Thank you!
[Your Name]

Author

  • Elena Prokopets

    Elena runs content operations at Freesumes since 2017. She works closely with copywriters, designers, and invited career experts to ensure that all content meets our highest editorial standards. Up to date, she wrote over 200 career-related pieces around resume writing, career advice... more

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