10 Good Reasons for Taking a Leave of Absence from Work

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.

9. Relief from Excessive Job Stress

If you work in a stressful environment and often stay overtime or bring work home, then you feel the need for a leave of absence quite often. You simply can’t go on doing your best if you are exhausted. If your employer values your position in the firm and your contribution, they will surely approve your leave because you will return refreshed and ready to take on more projects.

8. Bereavement Leave

There is nothing that strikes us more than the death of a loved one, and this additional time off work is granted to employees who have suffered the loss of a family member. As an employee, you have a statutory right to some time off work in such a case.

7. Travel

Upon doing our research, we discovered that many people have requested a leave of absence because they wanted to travel. They usually seek between 2-6 weeks and many of them said that they could return to their job upon arrival. You can see what employees have to say on this here.

6. Medical Procedure

If you are undergoing a medical procedure, you have the right to ask for a leave. The length of the leave will depend on the type of procedure and other factors but most employers will approve it.

And now, let’s see the other five good reasons for taking a leave of absence from work on our list.

5. Illness

Illness is another good reason for taking a leave of absence. After all, you can’t be expected to work and give your best while you’re ill.

4. Personal Leave

A personal leave may include all kinds of personal or family related reasons why you need to take some time off work. While the employers are not required to approve it, plenty of them approve these requests.

3. Adoption Leave

Adoption leave ranks third on our list of good reasons for taking a leave of absence from work. It falls under the term parental leave, and it is another employee benefit that is usually regulated by law in most countries. This means paid time off work for a certain amount of time.

2. Paternity Leave

New fathers, just like mothers, are entitled to a parental leave of absence from work. After childbirth, fathers have the right to take a few weeks off to take care of their newborns. The length of the leave also depends on the state.

1. Maternity Leave

Maternity leave is one of the top good reasons for taking a leave of absence from work. This is regulated by the law and all mothers are entitled to some time off before or after childbirth. The length of the leave depends on the state and country, and it can be as short as a few weeks or as long as one year.