Maternity leave letter with your dates and plan
You are expecting a baby and need to tell your employer when your maternity leave starts and how long it will be. This prompt has your todo.is agent read your company's parental leave policy, work out the key dates from your due date, and write a warm, clear letter, with a handover plan and the forms you need.
The prompt
- Write a maternity leave letter to [MANAGER OR HR NAME] at [COMPANY NAME]. I am [YOUR NAME, JOB TITLE]. My baby is due on [DUE DATE]. I want my leave to start on [LEAVE START DATE] and I plan to take [LENGTH OF LEAVE]. Country or state where I work: [COUNTRY OR STATE]. Our parental leave policy is attached or here: [LINK OR "NOT AVAILABLE"]. Read it and tell me the notice I must give, the forms and documents needed (like a pregnancy certificate) and what pay applies. Work out my expected return date. Keep the letter under 250 words, positive and clear, with a short handover plan for [MY MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES] and a line about keeping in touch. Give me a Word file, a PDF and an email version.
What to change
- [MANAGER OR HR NAME]: Who you report to, or HR.
- [COMPANY NAME]: Your employer.
- [YOUR NAME, JOB TITLE]: E.g. "Olivia Martin, Marketing Manager".
- [DUE DATE]: The expected due date from your doctor or midwife.
- [LEAVE START DATE]: E.g. "Monday 5 January 2027". Some people start a few weeks before the due date.
- [LENGTH OF LEAVE]: E.g. "12 weeks", "26 weeks" or "one year".
- [COUNTRY OR STATE]: Leave rights depend a lot on where you work, e.g. "California" or "United Kingdom".
- [LINK OR "NOT AVAILABLE"]: Attach the employee handbook, or paste the policy link.
- [MY MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES]: E.g. "the spring campaign, agency budget, social media team of 3".
Example result
- Maternity leave letter
- Olivia Martin
- Marketing Manager
- 1 October 2026
- Dear Hannah,
- As we discussed last week, I am happy to confirm in writing that I am pregnant. My baby is due on 20 January 2027.
- I would like to start my maternity leave on Monday, 5 January 2027 and take 26 weeks of leave. This means I expect to return to work on Tuesday, 6 July 2027. I will attach my pregnancy certificate from my midwife once I receive it.
- Handover plan
- • Spring campaign: I will finish the brief and agency plan by 11 December and walk Leo through the timeline.
- • Agency budget: I will hand over the budget tracker and introduce Leo to our account manager.
- • Social media team: Aisha will lead the weekly team meeting, and I will hold one-to-one handovers with each team member in December.
- I would be glad to have a couple of keep-in-touch days during my leave if that works for the team, and I am happy to receive occasional updates by email.
- Please let me know if you need any other information or forms from me. I would be grateful for written confirmation of my leave dates.
- Thank you for your support.
- Best wishes,
- Olivia Martin
- Things to check for your country or state
- • How much notice you must give, and by when
- • Which documents you need (for example a pregnancy certificate or doctor's form)
- • Whether leave is paid, by whom, and for how long
- • Your right to return to the same or a similar job
- Good to know
- Many people tell their manager in person first, then send the letter to confirm.
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and add your due date, start date and length of leave.
- Attach your company's parental leave policy in todo.is, or send the prompt to your agent on WhatsApp.
- Your agent checks the rules, works out your return date and writes the letter.
- Send it to your manager or HR, and ask your agent to put the key dates in your calendar.
Tips for a better result
- Leave rules depend on where you work. Ask your agent to search the official government page for your country or state and summarize it with the link.
- You can usually change your start date if you give notice, so pick your best guess now.
- Partners can use the same prompt for paternity or parental leave: just change the type of leave.
- Keep a copy of every letter and HR reply in one folder in case questions come up about your pay.
maternity leave letter: FAQ
- When should I tell my employer I am pregnant? Many people tell their employer around 12 to 20 weeks. Some countries set a legal deadline for giving notice, so check local rules.
- How long is maternity leave? It varies widely by country, state and employer, from a few weeks to a year or more. Your agent can find the rules that apply to you.
- Do I need a doctor's note for maternity leave? Many employers ask for a pregnancy certificate or a form from your doctor or midwife. Check your company policy.
- Can I use this for paternity or adoption leave? Yes. Change the type of leave in the prompt and your agent adjusts the letter and the rules it checks.
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