When you are going to be away from your place of work for an extended period of time, you need to let your boss know with as much warning as possible. Many people have problems writing a vacation leave letter because they view taking a vacation as not as important as requesting time off for a medical emergency or something along those lines. Fortunately, you can follow our vacation leave letter templates for guidance.The downfall you want to avoid is having your request denied. After all, you deserve a vacation after putting in your hard work and time. To hedge your bets, remain professional throughout the letter so you can deliver the message effectively. Take a look at how our template accomplishes this.
Vacation Leave Letter Template
Peter is requesting a week of vacation from July 15th to July 22nd so he can take his family to California to check out Disneyland and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It is currently May 10th, so Peter is providing his employer with plenty of notice. Additionally, Peter receives two weeks of vacation every year at his workplace. Peter hopes to receive a prompt response so he can begin planning for the vacation accordingly, which involves booking a hotel room for his family in advance and buying all the necessary tickets.
Dear Mrs. O’Brien,
I wish to put in my request to receive one week’s vacation from July 15th through July 22nd so I may take my family on a vacation to California.It is my hope to receive approval now so I can start making the necessary arrangements during our stay.
In anticipation of this week’s absence, I am willing to put in extra work to ensure things continue running smoothly while I am away. I have also spoken to several of my colleagues about it, and they are willing to cover for me for the week to ensure operations remain on track. If there is anything you require of me before my departure, please let me know and I would be happy to take care of it.
In the event you want to discuss this further or have any questions, please feel free to reach out at 555-555-9834. Thank you for your time and attention.
Sincerely,
Peter Williams
How To Write a Vacation Leave Letter
If you have a job that provides a certain amount of vacation time each year, then you will likely have little to worry about when sending the letter, provided you have not already used up all your vacation days. Even if your workplace does not offer paid vacation leave, you can still request time off, it will simply require some finesse on your end. In either situation, there are some tips to follow to ensure you make the best impression on your boss.
First, you want to get directly to the point. This letter should be less than a page long, and you really only need about three paragraphs to get your point across. The first paragraph should include information about what you are hoping to obtain. You also want to establish a courteous and formal tone so you make a positive impression.
Some workplaces have policies in place for how employees are to request vacation time. You should look into these policies to see if there are any other actions you need to pursue. When other procedures are necessary, you should still send your boss a letter because it is good to have all your bases covered. Additionally, your supervisor may tell you what else you need to submit to receive your vacation time.
Finally, it is good to make it clear who will do your work while you are away, similarly to what the vacation leave letter template above displays. This can involve discussing training other employees to handle your responsibilities. You can also mention how you are willing to put in a few extra hours to get ahead of your workload. The boss may figure these details out for you, but it is good to show you are proactive.
What To Avoid in Your Vacation Leave Letter
One mistake to avoid when writing your vacation leave document is making it too long. There is no need to include every single detail about why you want a vacation during this specific period of time. Additionally, if the note is long, it may cause your employer to simply discard it. In general, it is best to get to the point quickly and not have any superfluous information.
Another misstep to avoid is sending in your vacation request too late. There are not necessarily set guidelines, but it is good to give your supervisor at least a couple months’ notice. This provides your employer with plenty of time to cover for you while you are away. Even if you receive a certain number of vacation days every year, you may put your boss in a bad spot if you only provide a week’s notice. You do not want to get on your employer’s bad side just because you wanted to go on a simple vacation.
How To Follow Up After Sending Your Vacation Leave Letter
At the end of your vacation leave letter, you should provide your phone number or email address, informing your employer to contact you to follow up. Your boss should get in touch with you to inform you if he or she approves the request or if there is anything you need to do before leaving. If you do not hear back from your supervisor within a couple of days, then you can reach out yourself to make sure he or she received the letter. It is also a good idea to inform people you work with who will have to do your work for you while you are gone. It is also wise to contact clients or customers to tell them who they should reach out to while you are away, although you can do this closer to the vacation start date.
Top 5 Vacation Leave Letter Writing Takeaways
1. State objective at the beginning
The first paragraph, and possibly even the first sentence, should state your goal. There is no need to bring up information unrelated to you receiving a vacation; get to the point quickly.
2. Provide as many specifics as you can
You should include details related to the dates you want to leave and who will cover for you during your absence. This will help make an employer feel more at ease about letting you leave.
3. Keep it concise
This type of letter should only be about three paragraphs long. Any longer than that and you risk the main message getting lost in the clutter.
4. Send a copy to human resources
For small companies, you only need to send this letter to your employer. However, if you work for a larger company, it is good to send a copy to the human resources department. You do not need to change anything about the letter if you do send it to HR.
5. Provide contact information
You want to end your letter by encouraging your boss to reach out to you if he or she has any questions or concerns. Provide an email address and/or phone number to make it easy.
