Last updated: 08th Apr 2025
Many employers are now onboard with the idea that time-off is vital for keeping people well and productive. But you can’t assume your leave request will be approved until you have confirmation from your boss.
So, before you spontaneously buy concert tickets or snap up on-sale flights, discover how to write a polite leave request email.
When And Why To Put Your Leave Request In Writing.
Full and part-time employees in Australia are entitled to request paid and unpaid time off for a variety of reasons including:
- Annual leave for holidays, special events like weddings, and other personal reasons.
- Personal/carer’s leave to deal with an illness/injury, mental health, or to care for others.
- Compassionate leave when a family member dies or in the case of a miscarriage.
- Family and domestic violence leave to deal with the impact of experiencing threats or abuse.
- Community service leave to help out with voluntary emergency services or perform jury duty.
- Long service leave when you’ve stayed with the same employer for a set number of years.
- Parental leave so you can take care of your new arrival following a birth or adoption.
While personal leave leave is often unplanned — like when you wake up with a nasty bug or a sick kid – taking most other types of leave requires some negotiation beforehand.
In either case, it’s standard practice nowadays to send an email request or notice.
Important!
For most leave types, there are no hard rules about how much advance notice you have to give.
You’ll need to be guided by what’s stated in the award you’re covered by or your employment agreement/contract, as well as your employer’s documented HR policies.
There are also no hard rules around when your boss can refuse your leave request.
Important!
A request might be refused if it clashes with other employees’ leave or is for a traditionally busy period for the business. Employers need to coordinate availability across a team to keep operations running smoothly.
What if you’re one the 2.6 million Australians in casual roles who don’t accrue annual or sick leave?
While you don’t need anyone’s permission to not accept a shift, you might still be expected to formally request leave in writing, and it can protect you too.
So no matter your employment status, a leave request email makes sense because it:
- Provides a clear record of what happened, in case of any confusion or HR kerfuffles. You’ll have proof of your request/notice and that it was acknowledged and/or approved.
- Gives your manager and teammates a chance to prepare, so that work quality or customer service doesn’t slip due to being a person down.
- Shows you’re a professional team player willing to follow processes that help your employer maintain good records and meet their compliance obligations.
How To Structure Your Leave Request Email.
In four steps, this is how to produce a professional leave request email.
1. Include A Clear Subject Line And Salutation.
A clear email subject line would usually include:
- The type of leave you’re requesting.
- The date range of your leave.
For example:
Make sure the person you’re emailing with your leave request is the person with authority to approve it.
Important!
You’ll see a lot of example leave request emails online that insist you should begin with ‘Dear [Manager’s name]’. It’s too formal in most cases — especially if you’re already on friendly terms.
If you’re sending your leave request email to someone you email regularly and usually greet with a ‘Hi’ or ‘Hello’, use that same approach.
2. Make Your Request And Clarify Leave Dates.
Get to the point quickly, mention the leave type and provide the precise date range or timing of your leave. Some examples:
Obviously, if you can’t come in because of an unplanned reason, your email is more of a notification.
But you should still include the specific date/s you’ll be absent.
3. Share Details Or Arrangements Your Boss Should Know.
You don’t need to give a specific reason for why you’re taking leave. But let’s be realistic, being vague can make your request seem suspicious.
If you’re not confident your request will be approved — and especially if you’re making a request at short notice — providing some background may lead to your supervisor being more understanding.
Also, if your workplace policies require it, be sure to attach any doctor’s notes or other evidence.
You may also want to mention:
- Important tasks, events or deadlines that need to be managed in your absence.
- Any arrangements you’ve made to ensure continuity or coverage of your work.
Important!
You have a right to switch off completely when you’re on leave — that means no emails or taking work calls. Don’t feel obligated to offer to be available for ‘work emergencies’ in your leave request email, unless that was negotiated in advance with your supervisor.
4. End Your Email Respectfully.
If you’re asking for time off in advance, you might end your email with something like:
Or if you’re unexpectedly taking leave, you might say:
To keep it professional, here’s what you don’t want to do:
- Make demands, e.g., ‘I need this approved before Friday so I can book my tickets.’
- Apologise profusely, e.g., ‘I’m so sorry to leave you all in the lurch.’
- Overshare, e.g., ‘I really need this, because I’ve been a mess lately.’
Leave Request Email Template.
Need a draft or template leave request email to get started? Here’s one you can save for future use:
Hello [Manager’s name],
I am writing to request [type of leave] from [leave date range].
[Explain the reason for needing leave if relevant and refer to any attached documentation.]
[Mention any arrangements around your workload or availability while on leave.]
Please let me know if you need further information, and thanks for considering my request.
Sincerely,
[Your email signature]
Samples Of Good Leave Request Emails.
The samples below show how you can put my advice into action to politely request leave in different circumstances.
Leave Request Email Due To Taking Annual Leave.
Hi Amy,
I’d like to request four days of annual leave to visit my family over the Easter break. I would use my leave from Monday, 14th to Thursday 17th of April (inclusive), and return to the office following the Easter weekend public holiday on Tuesday 22nd April.
As we discussed in our one-on-one chat yesterday, by then only final edits should be required to complete the industry report, so I’m confident Jane can manage the project in my absence. But I will have my work phone with me if the team needs to contact me urgently.
Please let me know if this is OK, or if you need any additional information.
Regards,
Romesh
Leave Request Email Due To A Death In The Family.
Dear Mr Lee,
I am writing to request leave of up to eight days’ leave, using compassionate leave and annual leave. Sadly, my step-brother has passed away and I need time off to grieve and support my family with the funeral arrangements.
I will be away from work starting from tomorrow, 9th of April, and will let you know of my return date as soon as I can.
I appreciate your understanding.
Sincerely,
Nathan
Leave Request Email Due To Being Sick.
Hi Paul,
Unfortunately I’ve woken up unwell, so I wanted to let you know I’ll be taking sick leave today (14 April). I don’t have any critical meetings scheduled.
I’ll let you know early tomorrow if I haven’t improved enough to return to work.
Best wishes,
Sally
Final Tips For Asking Your Boss For Leave.
Writing a leave request email isn’t hard but getting the tone and details right does matter. It’s one of things that shapes your employer’s perception of you as a reliable, trustworthy employee.
Ensure that you’re informing the right person, through the right process or channel, with an acceptable amount of notice. And then write a concise leave request message in a professional style that matches the level of formality in your workplace.
Once your leave has been approved or acknowledged, keep your manager informed if anything changes about your plans or your workload. You might also send your boss a quick email the week before you take off on planned leave to remind them of the dates you’ll be gone and provide a ‘work-in-progress’ update.
Jody
