How To Craft The Perfect Vacation Day Request Email

When you’re ready for a break, you probably don’t want to send your boss an email with just the words “I’m outta here!” in it.

Crafting a good vacation day request email is essential in winning your leave approval. The most effective email is all about providing your employer with everything that’s relevant to your vacation request.

A vacation day request email is a formal written document outlining the specific dates you need time off from work and the reason why you’re taking a leave. A formal request usually requires emailing your manager. It is important to follow your company’s procedures when you want to request time off work. With an effective email, you can provide your employer with the information they need, enhance communication, and help everyone prepare for your absence in advance. Your vacation request is easier to approve if you can show your appr it won’t interfere with your work or deliverables.

With that in mind, are you ready to craft a vacation day request email that will convince your boss to approve your vacation right away? Let’s get started.

Send it to the right people

It’s important to send your vacation day request email to only those who have the autonomy to grant you a leave approval.

Although this may vary according to your company’s internal policy, leave approvers can be anyone from your organization. From your HR team to your manager, the list of people who have to prepare for your absence and plan around your vacation is enormous. Hence, make sure to keep everyone in the loop when discussing your plans for potential vacation.

As soon as the correct person approves your request, you should inform anyone whose duties will be affected by your absence.

Keep the subject line short

Subject lines are the first thing a recipient notices about your email. A vacation email request should include a brief sentence that explains the purpose of the message and the dates associated with it. When requesting time off at a large company, include your first name and last name in the subject line so the recipient can quickly recognize who is requesting time off and when.

Make it direct and to the point

Make sure to keep the contents of your email as clear and concise as they can possibly be. We recommend breaking it down into the following parts:

An introduction

The introductory part of your email should include the purpose of why you’re writing the email. In this case, it’ll be to request a vacation. 

You can use a statement if you’ve already spoken with your superior about your leave request. Or, alternatively, you can also phrase your request as a question — only if this email is the first time you’re bringing up the leave request. Getting permission from your supervisor or employer to take time off is a professional courtesy that shows respect for their time.

The dates of your vacation

Include the dates you will be taking time off from work in the first line or first paragraph of your email. You should make sure the dates are the same as those listed in the subject line. This will allow you and your employer to maintain clear communication.

In cases where your company has an accruing paid time off policy, make sure you check your balance before requesting time off. It might be a good idea to state how many days you intend to use from your leave quota. This can demonstrate that you understand how this request will affect your remaining paid time and assist your employer in updating your leave information.

Give a reason (if necessary)

It might sound selfish, but we all need a little R&R every once in a while.

So even though it’s optional, mentioning the reason for your request can further help in the approval of your vacation. Whether you’re burnt out, are missing your family, or just want to take a break from work, let your boss know! It’ll go a long way in helping them understand your situation, and will aid you in your request for time-off.

Mention who will cover for you

Even with you gone on vacation, the company should still keep running. Hence, it’s important to mention to your approver who will be picking up your slack in the time you’re gone.

Mentioning the name of the coworker who will take up your responsibilities and giving them a summary of deliverables will show your employer you’re planning ahead, and that a vacation will not disrupt your normal workflow.

Remind them of your availability

Chances are, most times your employer won’t just grant you a vacation over a simple email. So, it’s important to keep yourself available in case the approver has any questions. At the end of the email, you can simply mention the fact that you’re free to answer any questions or concerns the approver may have. And then, drop down your contact information so that they can reach you with any queries they may have.

No matter how long you’ve been working for a company, if you want to go on vacation, your best chance of getting it is to plan ahead. Creating a solid case for why you should be allowed time off is one step, but the vacation request email you send is just as important. Use these tips as a starting point for your own letter. Tailor it to your job and company, but keep the essentials. We promise it’s worth the effort!

Snigdha Gupta

An avid writer and aspiring marketer, Snigdha is a student at Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business.