Maternity leave is a basic human right for females at work. This leave allows mothers to take off from work and stay at home for giving birth. Usually, women are given maternity leave from a few weeks to a few months. A woman needs to inform the company about her pregnancy and the date she wants to go on leave from. This will help the company to make certain arrangements.
COVID pandemic has changed the entire world and the way everything in the world used to work. Where it has impacted the personal and professional lives of people, it has also brought a big change to pregnant ladies. Pregnant ladies are at a high risk of contracting the virus causing damage to a fetus and their own health.
This type of communication is required to be done by a woman when she has already given birth to the baby and her doctor has advised her to not expose herself to the world as it might affect the health of the baby. In this letter, the woman applies for the extension of maternity leave.
There are certain situations when a person applies for an extension of the leave. Women on maternity leave apply for the extension when:
- Their doctor has advised them to stay at home to prevent the disease.
- When the woman has already caught the disease from the hospital where she went for delivery and regular check-up.
- When the mother has not been administered the vaccine yet and therefore, she wants to be cautious about her health.
A pregnant woman generally has to spend most of her time with her baby. However, when she contracts COVID, she can put the life of her newborn at stake. Therefore, some women apply for an extension as a precaution
Before you practically start this letter, you must perform the following steps:
Read the policy of the company regarding maternity leave extension:
Any worker who wants to get the leave must read the policy of the company regarding the extension. Some companies cannot afford to add on the leave of female employees because of the workload. Whereas, some companies can extend the leave under specific circumstances. A female worker who wants to get a leave extension due to COVID must check if the company allows the extension due to the pandemic.
Talk to your manager personally:
Sometimes, to get the request approved, an employee has to talk to the supervisor in person and convince him. If it seems that getting the leave is not easy, talking to the manager can help.
Find documents to attach:
The request for additional days off from leave sometimes requires you to attach supporting documents with the letter that can support the request. For instance, if a woman is COVID positive, she can share her test results with the boss.
Step by step guide:
Introduction:
The woman should give her introduction in the letter so that the employer can easily identify her. She should mention her name, her designation in the company, the department in which she works, the dates from which she has been on maternity leave, and much more.
A formal request for leave:
After having the introduction given, it is the right time to ask for the leave extension. This part of the letter should be written convincingly. In this same part of the letter, the employer should be informed as to what duration of the extension is required.
Reason for the request:
After reading the request, the employer wants to know why the employee is asking for the extension. Here, the reason will be provided. In this letter, the woman will tell that COVID is the main cause of asking for the add-on in the leave.
Demonstration of Gratitude:
Employers generally like employees who remain thankful. Demonstration of gratitude at the end puts a good impression on the reader and it also convinces him indirectly to accept the application.
Sample letter:
It is to inform you that your maternity leave extension has been extended from 25th November 2030 to 21st December 2032. This decision has been taken by the company keeping the current unprecedented conditions in view. Due to COVID, the life of a mother and her baby can be at risk. We don’t want to make you or your child suffer. The safety and health of every individual at the workplace especially new mothers is the priority of the company. You will receive your salary for this extended period. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
