Maternity leave is a period of absence that every workplace grants to its female employees. As a matter of fact, it is the right of every woman to get a leave of absence from work when she is pregnant. Maternity leave is usually of a specific time period which generally begins when the delivery time of a woman is close.
What is an early maternity leave letter?
It is a formal letter that a pregnant employee writes to her employer to make a formal request for early maternity leave. This letter is generally written when the leave is requested earlier than the date it was originally planned to be taken.
A female may have plenty of reasons to write this request letter. Some female employees face pregnancy complications that lead them to decide to take a break from work earlier than expected.
What information is added to the early maternity leave letter?
The main details that are important to be added to this request letter are:
- A formal request:
The letter is always started with the request made by the pregnant employee to ask for an early leave of absence. The request is generally written politely and with a very courteous tone.
- Reason for the request:
Female employees take early maternity leave despite knowing the actual date of the leave whenever they have a solid reason to do that. It is important to mention that reason as sometimes, there are only a few reasons that the company accepts.
- Date of last day of work:
The employee should mention the last day of work in the letter as it will let the employer know when to arrange the substitute employee. It also helps in payroll calculation.
- Supporting documents:
The worker should attach supporting documents with the letter such as a medical certificate or a note from her doctor to prove that she is being truthful.
What is the basic objective of writing the early maternity leave letter?
It is the main responsibility of an employee to write an early maternity leave letter because it gives the employer enough time to make arrangements for a substitution. While the employee has to stay away from work due to pregnancy, the substitute can make up for her absence.
This also shows the professionalism of the employee who has taken the problem of the company into account and decided to inform in advance. Through this letter, the employer can also inform the company that she has a plan to return to work after the delivery and that her substitute should be hired temporarily.
Here is a sample early maternity leave letter.
Sample letter:
Subject: Early maternity leave
Dear Mr. ABC,
I am writing this letter to inform you that I am going through pregnancy complications. My doctor has advised me to take the best rest till the end of the pregnancy. Therefore, I have decided to start my maternity leave two weeks earlier than the planned date.
The maternity leave that was granted to me comprised 12 weeks and I was supposed to go on leave from 1st April 2031. Due to my decision to early leave, I am requesting you allow me to take leave for additional 4 weeks.
I aim to complete all my assigned tasks by the end of this month. I am ready to make up for all the meetings after I return to work. Since I have informed you in advance, the company has a sufficient amount of time to find a substitute that can work in my position for these 16 weeks.
I hope that you will allow me to take early maternity leave so that I can focus on my health and welcome my baby. I enjoy working in your company and look forward to a promising career with your company. If I am required to be contacted ever for any reason, I can be reached without hesitation.
Please find the attached medical certificate with this letter. Thank you so much for your support and cooperation.
Regards.
