Letter Requesting Maternity Leave

This is a letter asking an employer for maternity leave off. The primary purpose of this letter is to put a request for maternity leave in writing to an employer. Often, an expectancy announcement is made orally and informally prior to a formal request for maternity leave, but it doesn't have to be that way. Regardless, it is a good idea to put a request for maternity leave into an official letter to keep everything documented and avoid disputes later on.

This letter can be used for any situation in which maternity leave is being requested. In the United States, specifically, maternity leave is guaranteed for pregnant mothers or those who are adopting children. Federal law guarantees maternity leave for at least 12 weeks, but more leave may be given depending on an employer's specific policies.

How to use this document

This letter memorializes a request for maternity leave off to an employer. Whether or not verbal approval has already been given, it is still important to make sure the official request is in writing. As noted above, maternity leave requests can be granted for pregnancy or even the adoption of a new child.

In this letter, address and header information will be entered for both the sender and the recipient. Information about the expectancy will be entered, such as the due date. Finally, the leave request information will be entered, such as how long is being requested off and the exact dates of the leave.

Most maternity leave request letters do not require any attached documentation. However, your employer may request additional documentation, such as a doctor's note, after the letter is sent.

Applicable law

Labor laws in the United States cover maternity leave, and they are generally governed by the Fair Labor Standards Act. Specifically, the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) requires 12 weeks of unpaid leave. This is in practice for mothers of newborn or newly adopted children. However, beyond that, individual time-off policies will be specific to the employer and may include more leave or specific policies surrounding that leave.

How to modify the template

You fill out a form. The document is created before your eyes as you respond to the questions.

At the end, you receive it in Word and PDF formats. You can modify it and reuse it.