What are some good reasons for taking a leave of absence from work? We know the usual stuff, but today we’ve compiled a list of 10 great excuses to take a break from work.
All of us have personal emergencies or really lazy days when we just want to stay at home. For that, we need quick solutions or good excuses. If you are one us, I’m sure you’ve read our 14 Good Excuses to Miss Work on Short Notice or 13 Real Good Family Emergency Excuses to Get Out of Work Last Minute. But taking a leave of absence is nothing like that. Easiest illnesses to fake for work will not be of any help here. However, it may come in handy if you need a day off from all the stress at work.
A leave of absence is an extended time off work, and this prolonged leave comes with a formal process that we must follow. Asking for a leave is one of the most stressful moments in every employee’s life especially because our employers are not obliged to approve our leave requests, unless it is a leave covered by FMLA (The Family and Medical Leave Act), according to The Balance. U.S. News advises us to understand what protections we have under federal law, state law, and employer policies. It is important to be aware of what you’re entitled to and to understand your workplace rights.
Of course, if you work in a casual environment, you may simply ask your boss to give you a few months off due to this or that reason. In more formal circumstances, you need to respect the company’s policy regarding taking a leave of absence. According to U.S. News, there are ways to frame your request in order to avoid any potential conflicts and to make approval more likely. So, if you want your leave to be approved, you need a really good leave of absence letter.
Acceptable reasons for leave of absence include maternity, medical procedures, mourning the death of a beloved one, etc. Of course, when you are dealing with something like this, you can be almost 100% certain your leave request will be approved. But naturally, your boss will request a letter for a leave, so you need to plan it well. The way you structure your letter of absence from work usually decides whether you’ll get it or not.
Best reasons for leave application are those that are true, of course, and if your leave is covered by the FMLA, then you’ve got nothing to worry. However, if you are in a company that’s got you working 60 hours per week, then you are probably exhausted all the time. Sometimes you just need to recharge your batteries so that you can come back refreshed and ready to give 100%. Unfortunately, some employers refuse to understand your struggles as they perceive us as robots who are not entitled to having a life. In such a case, taking a leave that is not covered by FMLA may be just a dream.
It all depends on the company you work for and its policies. Some companies have strict policies and will deny you a leave outright. Those that value your talent and contribution to the firm will understand your need for a leave as they don’t want to lose a valuable employee. Hopefully, we will all have employers like these one day.
Based on the benefits all employees are entitled to as well as experiences from employees we found on The Balance as well as on LifeHacker, we have compiled a list of 10 good reasons for taking a leave of absence from work.
10. Military Leave
The one of the good reasons for taking a leave of absence from work includes service in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, etc. You can be absent from work and retain your job for up to 5 years.