Leave of absence letter for family, study or personal reasons
A leave of absence is longer time off that isn't regular vacation: caring for a parent, a study course, a sabbatical, or a personal matter. Because it is often unpaid and needs approval, the request has to be well planned. This prompt has your todo.is agent write a letter that makes it easy for your manager to say yes.
The prompt
- Write a leave of absence request letter to [MANAGER NAME] at [COMPANY NAME]. I am [YOUR NAME, JOB TITLE, YEARS AT COMPANY]. I am asking for [PAID OR UNPAID] leave from [START DATE] to [RETURN DATE] because [REASON, AS MUCH AS YOU WANT TO SHARE]. Plan for my work: [WHO COVERS WHAT, OR "SUGGEST A PLAN"]. Read our policy if I attach it and tell me what it allows. Keep the letter under 300 words, respectful and confident: state the request and dates first, give the reason briefly, show the cover plan, say I intend to return, and offer to discuss it. Give me a Word file, a PDF and a 3-line email to ask for a meeting first.
What to change
- [MANAGER NAME]: Who approves your time off.
- [COMPANY NAME]: Your employer.
- [YOUR NAME, JOB TITLE, YEARS AT COMPANY]: E.g. "Daniel Kim, Software Engineer, 4 years". Your track record helps.
- [PAID OR UNPAID]: Choose one. Most leaves of absence are unpaid.
- [START DATE]: When the leave would start.
- [RETURN DATE]: When you plan to be back.
- [REASON, AS MUCH AS YOU WANT TO SHARE]: E.g. "to care for my father after his surgery" or "to finish a 10-week coding course".
- [WHO COVERS WHAT, OR "SUGGEST A PLAN"]: E.g. "Sam covers on-call, Lea takes the API project", or ask your agent to suggest one.
Example result
- Leave of absence request
- Daniel Kim
- Software Engineer, Payments Team
- 5 October 2026
- Dear Rachel,
- I would like to request an unpaid leave of absence from Monday, 2 November 2026 to Monday, 28 December 2026, a total of eight weeks.
- My father is having heart surgery in late October, and he will need full-time care for several weeks while he recovers. My family lives abroad, and I am the one best placed to be with him.
- I have been with the team for four years and I fully intend to return on 28 December. I have thought about how to keep my work covered:
- Cover plan
- • API migration: Lea already co-owns this project. I will hand it over with a status document and a walkthrough on 27 October.
- • On-call rotation: Sam has agreed to swap shifts with me, and I will take two extra weeks in January in return.
- • Code reviews: I will close all my open reviews before I leave and reassign the rest.
- I will be reachable by email once a week for urgent questions.
- I know this is a long time away, and I am grateful for your consideration. I would be happy to meet this week to talk about it and adjust the plan if needed.
- Kind regards,
- Daniel Kim
- Email to ask for a meeting
- Hi Rachel, could we find 20 minutes this week? I need to talk to you about some time off for a family matter, and I have a plan for my work. Thank you.
- Types of leave of absence
- • Family care (in some places this is protected leave)
- • Study or training
- • Sabbatical or career break
- • Personal or bereavement leave
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and fill in the dates, the reason and your cover plan.
- Paste it on the todo.is Today screen. Attach your company policy if you have one.
- Your agent writes the request, a PDF and a short email to set up a meeting.
- Talk to your manager first, then send the letter. Ask your agent to adjust it after the meeting.
Tips for a better result
- Ask in person first, then send the letter. A surprise written request is harder to approve.
- Show you have thought about cover. Managers mostly worry about who will do the work.
- Ask about benefits during unpaid leave, like health insurance and pension, before you go.
- If the reason is family care or your own health, you may have legal rights to leave. Check local rules or ask HR.
leave of absence letter: FAQ
- What is a leave of absence? An approved period away from work, longer than normal vacation, for reasons like family care, study, health or personal matters. It is often unpaid.
- How far in advance should I request a leave of absence? As early as you can, ideally at least a month before for planned leave. Check your company policy.
- Is a leave of absence paid? Usually not, unless your company policy or local law says otherwise. Some types, like family or medical leave, may be protected or partly paid in some places.
- Can I be fired for asking for a leave of absence? It depends on the reason and local law. Many types of leave are protected. If you are worried, speak to HR or a local employment adviser.
JavaScript is required to use the todo.is app.