How to Write Leave Application: Tips and Samples for Leave Letter

Have you ever felt that enough is enough and you require a day off or leave from work? Or require a day to attend to personal work, some special occasion or even spend quality time with family?

Sometimes, I feel the same way. But whatever the reason for staying off work, it’s important to write a perfect leave application format and send it to your employer.

Therefore, all of us take leave from our work for one or more days. This is a global practice. And it’s compulsory for employees to inform their employer about leave they wish to avail.

Types of Leave

There’re reasons why it’s compulsory for employees to write a perfect leave application. Companies and organizations, provide different types of leave under the labour laws of this country. They include sick leave, casual leave, and privilege leave.

You can refer to my tips and guidelines for writing a perfect sick leave application format too.

Therefore, in this article, I will write about tips to write a perfect casual and privilege leave application.

Hence, let’s understand the difference between a Casual Leave and Privilege Leave

Defining Casual Leave

If you wish to take a day off for any reason and don’t attend office, you can claim Casual Leave. Every employer provides a few days every year as Casual Leave.

Remember, a Casual Leave is just for a day. Hence, you cannot extend Casual Leave for any reason. You may have several days as Casual Leave pending. However, that’s not a reason for staying away from work for more than a day.

An employer won’t deduct your salary if you have several days of Casual Leave and decide to take a day off.

It’s important to note that you cannot take Casual Leave and combine it with weekends. Because, would count as two or three days leave, under existing rules.

For example, if you have Saturday and Sunday as weekly off, never take Casual Leave on Friday or Monday. That counts as three days leave and can attract a salary deduction.

Another important thing to bear in mind is that employers also have the right to approve or disprove your Casual Leave, depending upon circumstances. A Casual Leave is not your right: it’s a benefit given by your employer.

Understanding Privilege Leave

Privilege Leave is usually a perk from your employer. It is also known as ‘Earned Leave’. And usually, Privilege Leave is given for your vacations, for a certain number of days. It can be anything from a week to 28 days.

One of the distinct benefits most employers provide is to accumulate Privilege Leave to take a long one.

Or sometimes, split into two and take Privilege Leave on two different occasions. Again, this kind of splitting of Privilege Leave is at the discretion of your employer.

And Privilege Leave isn’t something you can take any time. That’s because you’ll not be working for a few days. Hence, an employer has to ensure there’s no disruption of work.

And if two or more of your colleagues from the same department seek Privilege Leave simultaneously, the employer can ask you to change the dates.

Remember, a Privilege Leave application format has to be made at least 21 days earlier to ensure you get it. And you’ll have to handover charge to a colleague or senior before taking Privilege Leave so that work doesn’t face disruptions due to your absence.

Furthermore, an employer reserves the right to summon you back from Privilege Leave in case there’s some emergency and your presence is necessary. Of course, this is something rare but it’s possible if you’re holding some key position.

Therefore, here’re my tips for you about how to write a leave letter.

Perfect Casual Leave Application

Casual Leave is broadly of two types: One that you take without prior notice and the other when you inform your employer in advance. Regardless of these two broad categories, here’re some tips to write that perfect leave letter.

Address the Proper Official

Address your Casual Leave letter to the proper officials. These would include your department head, Human Resources or Administration department heads.

Mention the name of these persons including whom you’re giving the ‘Carbon Copy’ or CC. Nowadays carbon copies don’t exist but the term CC remains popular.

Mention the Exact Date

The second most important thing to add on your perfect leave letter is the exact day and date on which you’re availing Casual Leave. That helps the HR, Admin as well as the Finance department to maintain proper records of your different types of leave.

Reason or No Reason

That’s your choice. You can add a reason for availing a Casual Leave. Or you needn’t mention one. Either ways are fine with employers.

If you wish to add a reason, cite ‘personal work’ or ‘personal reasons’ or something vague. There’re actually no need to state a reason and hence, it’s purely your decision.

Mention Pending Casual Leave

This is something I would genuinely recommend to write a perfect leave letter. If you have five days of Casual Leave pending, mention specifically you’re availing one of those for the current year.

It implies your sense of responsibility and is excellent corporate or business etiquette. You’re also assisting the HR and Admin departments to update records.

Regret Any Inconvenience

It’s polite and good etiquette to apologize for any inconvenience your employer and colleagues that your absence could cause.

Regardless of whether there’s any significant problem or not, it’s always better to add a line stating you sincerely regret any inconvenience the employer could face due to the Casual Leave.

These tips should help you write a perfect leave letter to take a Casual Leave for a day. A Casual Leave letter should always be short and concise. There’s no need to write long letters or leave mails for a Casual Leave.

However, if you’re seeking Privilege Leave, things are a bit different. Here’re some tips to write the perfect leave letter to avail of Privilege Leave.

Tips to Write a Perfect Privilege Leave Application

You can follow the first two tips that I mention above for writing a perfect Privilege Leave letter.

However, mention the exact dates from which you wish to avail of the leave and the last date. Also mention clearly, the date of resuming service. And include these things as well:

Your Contact Details for Privilege Leave Application

This is extremely important, regardless of your post or designation in an organization. Your employer should be able to contact you, should the need arises.

Providing contact details also enables a company to send assistance if you require any due to an unforeseen or unfortunate situation. And the company can contact you if there’s some work where your advice or inputs are essential.

Leave Travel Allowances

If you’re entitled to Leave Travel Allowances, mention that to write a perfect Privilege Leave application letter. Clearly mention the amount as it’s shown on your appointment letter or contract.

And indicate the date when you wish the company to pay this allowance. You can avail the Leave Travel Allowance before or even after the Privilege Leave.

Handover of Charge

Also request the HR, Admin or your immediate senior about designating someone for handing charge of your duties while you’re away. Since Privilege Leave is for several days, this is very important.

It ensures that your employer doesn’t face any inconveniences due to your absence. And you can relax with the thought there’ll be no pending work for you to attend upon resuming duties.

These tips are adequate enough to write a perfect leave application format.

Simple Format for the leave letter application

Wrap Up

Before concluding, I’ll add that your leave of any kind shouldn’t cause any problems for the employer or yourself. Hence, some flexibility is always better when taking Casual or Privilege Leave.

Or, you may strain relations with the employer or even suffer from that guilt which comes with taking unnecessary leave.