Seniority might also affect how many days you can take off and when you can take a vacation. If you are a new employee, check to see if you are eligible for time off yet. Taking time off when you are a new employee can be difficult, and your supervisor might not be enthusiastic.
If you need time off during a busy period for an unexpected emergency or opportunity, provide a strong explanation for your request. If possible, ask if anyone else is considering taking time off around the dates you want. If your place of employment is short-staffed, it will be harder for your supervisor to grant your request. [3] X Research source If your request for time off is granted, remind your coworkers that you will be gone about a week before you take your time off work.
The longer you plan on taking off work, the more advance notice you should provide. Giving 2 weeks notice for a few days off is sufficient. If you will be gone for a week or more, you should try to let your boss know at least 1 month before you plan to leave.
If you have work responsibilities that cannot be completed before you leave, make arrangements with coworkers to cover for you. Be sure that they fully understand the tasks you need them to accomplish. Provide them with contact information in case they need your help.
For example, a subject line could be: “Pat Smith Requesting Vacation Days 10/10/2020 through 10/25/2020. "
Your greeting doesn’t need to be anything fancy. Saying something as simple as “Hey Jane”, “Hello Dave”, or “Greetings Aden” is perfectly fine. Be aware of your supervisor’s titles and preferences for how they are addressed. If your place of employment typically uses last names in communication, using your supervisor’s first name in an email might seem disrespectful. Similarly, if your supervisor uses a title prefix (like doctor, professor, judge, etc. ), you should use it in your greeting.
For example, you could write: “I would like to request vacation time from Wednesday, October 10 through Thursday, October 25. "
For example, you might write: “I am requesting these days off because my family is going on a vacation to Hawaii. " If you are requesting time off because of an emergency or an unexpected event, make sure you emphasize this in your explanation. Funerals, medical issues, or even surprise weddings are some examples of unexpected events that would make your supervisor more likely to grant a last-minute request.
For example, you could write: “I have made sure that my responsibilities will be taken care of when I am gone. I have arranged for Charlie to handle my clients. Also, I already completed all of the paperwork I would need to do during my absence. " It is always a good idea to tell your supervisor how you can be contacted while you are away. If you are unable, or unwilling, to provide a phone number or email where you can be reached during your time off, you will need to state this information in your request.
For example, the closing part of your email might read: “Does this all sound OK? Thanks, Pat. ”