An emergency leave letter is written when unforeseen circumstances happen in the life of the employee, and the employee wants to take leave for the same. An emergency is not predictable, but despite the reason, it is important to maintain professionalism and report to your employer via an emergency leave letter. Submitting an emergency leave letter will help you take the days off as well. As a result, it is important to know how to write an emergency leave letter and explore samples that will help you write the perfect emergency leave letter. Keep reading to know how to write an emergency leave letter.
Contents
- 1 Emergency Leave Letter Format
- 2 Emergency Leave Letter: Samples
- 3 Sample 3: Emergency Leave Letters for Students: Family Emergency
- 4 Sample 3: Emergency Leave Letters for Students: Family Emergency
- 5 Sample 4: Emergency Leave for Sudden Illness
- 6 Sample 5: Emergency Leave for Personal Reasons
- 7 Sample 6: Emergency Leave for Urgent Work at Home
- 8 How to Apply For an Emergency Leave?
- 9 FAQs

Emergency Leave Letter Format
Learn the proper format to write a clear and effective emergency leave letter for school, college, or work. Below is the format for an emergency leave letter that an employee should keep in mind before writing the application.
- Name of the employee and address- At first, an employee needs to write his/her name and address.
- Date- Next, mention the date of the application.
- Name of the receiver- In this step, the employee needs to mention the name of the HR or the Manager of the firm he/she is working in. Next, the employee needs to write the address of the organisation.
- Subject- Mention the reason you are writing the application. For example. Application for an emergency leave.
- Salutation- Here, you can address the reader. For example, you can address the reader as sir/ma’am. You can also use Mr/Ms. if the company follows last last-name basis greeting.
- Body- The body of the letter is the crux of an application. Here you can write the reason for the emergency leave requirement, the number of leaves you would require, who would take care of the work in your absence, and the expected date of rejoining.
- Sign off- Finally, sign off the letter as ‘Yours faithfully or Yours sincerely’. After that, you can sign the letter and write your name and designation. Instead of the designation, you can also choose to write your contact details.
Also Read: Letter Writing Topics for Students of Classes 6th–10th
Emergency Leave Letter: Samples
Here are some of the samples that an employee can refer to.
Sample 1: Emergency Leave Letter for Office
Subject: Request for Emergency Leave
Dear [Manager’s Name]
I’m writing to inform you about an unforeseen emergency that requires my immediate attention. Due to [briefly explain the reason, e.g., a family emergency, a medical issue, or any serious situation], I need to request an absence from work starting [name date and, if possible, projected duration].
I understand the inconvenience and truly regret the short notice. I have made sure that my existing duties are managed during my absence. I will ensure that pending work is addressed quickly upon my return. Please let me know if there is any more information or forms needed to process my leave. I’ll keep you updated on the situation and confirm my return date as soon as possible.
Thank you for your consideration.
Warm Regards,
[Your Full Name]
[Your Job Title]
[Your Contact Information]
Sample 2: Emergency Leave Letter for Office: Family Emergency

Sample 3: Emergency Leave Letters for Students: Family Emergency
Here’s a proper Emergency Leave Letter for a Family Emergency:
Your Name
Class/Grade: _______
Roll Number: _______
Date: _______
To,
The Principal
[School/College Name]
[City]
Subject: Request for Emergency Leave Due to Family Emergency
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to inform you that a sudden family emergency has arisen that requires my immediate presence at home. Therefore, I kindly request leave from [start date] to [end date].
I apologise for any inconvenience caused due to my absence and will ensure that I catch up on all missed lessons and assignments after returning.
Thank you for your understanding and support.
Yours sincerely,
[Your Name]
Sample 3: Emergency Leave Letters for Students: Family Emergency
Here’s a proper Emergency Leave Letter for a Family Emergency:
Your Name
Class/Grade: _______
Roll Number: _______
Date: _______
To,
The Principal
[School/College Name]
[City]
Subject: Request for Emergency Leave Due to Family Emergency
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to inform you that a sudden family emergency has arisen that requires my immediate presence at home. Therefore, I kindly request leave from [start date] to [end date].
I apologise for any inconvenience caused due to my absence and will ensure that I catch up on all missed lessons and assignments after returning.
Thank you for your understanding and support.
Yours sincerely,
[Your Name]
Sample 4: Emergency Leave for Sudden Illness
Here’s a proper Emergency Leave Letter for a Sudden Illness:
Your Name
Class/Grade: _______
Roll Number: _______
Date: _______
To,
The Principal
[School/College Name]
[City]
Subject: Request for Emergency Leave Due to Illness
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am feeling unwell due to [mention illness, e.g., fever, cold, or migraine] and will not be able to attend school/college. I kindly request leave from [start date] to [end date] to recover fully.
I will complete all missed lessons and assignments once I return. Thank you for your understanding.
Yours sincerely,
[Your Name]
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Sample 5: Emergency Leave for Personal Reasons
Here’s a proper Emergency Leave Letter for Personal Reasons:
Your Name
Class/Grade: _______
Roll Number: _______
Date: _______
To,
The Principal
[School/College Name]
[City]
Subject: Request for Emergency Leave
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to request emergency leave due to urgent personal reasons that require my immediate attention. I kindly request leave from [start date] to [end date].
I will make sure to complete any pending assignments and catch up on missed lessons after my return. Thank you for your kind consideration.
Yours sincerely,
[Your Name]
Sample 6: Emergency Leave for Urgent Work at Home
Here’s a proper Emergency Leave Letter for Urgent Work at Home:
Your Name
Class/Grade: _______
Roll Number: _______
Date: _______
To,
The Principal
[School/College Name]
[City]
Subject: Request for Emergency Leave
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to inform you that I have some urgent work at home that requires my presence. I kindly request leave from [start date] to [end date].
I apologize for any inconvenience caused and will ensure that I catch up on all missed lessons and assignments.
Yours sincerely,
[Your Name]
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How to Apply For an Emergency Leave?
Below are the steps that you can follow to apply for an emergency leave letter.
- Explain the reason to your manager- The first step is to talk to your manager or your supervisor over the phone and explain the need for an emergency leave. At this stage, you can also ask them to reassign the important tasks to another employee. Finally, you can write an emergency leave letter.
- Follow the format of an emergency leave letter – Do note that the format of an email emergency letter and a printed emergency leave letter slightly varies. Also, include all the details required in the emergency leave letter format given above.
- Be honest and proactive- Explain the reason for an emergency leave. However, know that it is not compulsory to disclose any details that you are not comfortable with. If possible, you can complete any pending work before taking the emergency leave.
- State the period and contact details- Explain the duration of your leave and the contact details in case the team wants to contact you.
- Provide only necessary information- It is important to keep in mind that you need to provide only the necessary information for leave. Do not go into details about your personal life or circumstances. The reasons for emergency leave include personal illness or injury, family emergency, and medical appointments.
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Writing an emergency leave letter is an essential skill for students. Whether it’s for illness, family emergencies, or unexpected situations, a properly written letter ensures that your absence is understood and documented. By following the correct format, providing necessary details, and maintaining a polite tone, you can communicate effectively and maintain a professional image even during emergencies.
FAQs
Ans: A Personal emergency means a medical situation that needs immediate attention, a severe accident, a family medical emergency, or other hardship that requires the employee to take a period of time off from work.
Ans: Some of the basic emergencies include family members or children being sick, going for blood donation, employees being sick, being met with a minor accident, and so on.
Ans: To ask for urgent leave, you can either directly convey it to your manager. Another way is to call them up as soon as you can and explain the situation. Give only those details that you are comfortable sharing so that he/she can understand the urgency of the circumstance.
Ans: I’m writing to sincerely apologise for my unexpected absence from work from [Start Date] to [End Date]. I recognise that my absence without prior notice caused inconvenience and disruption to the team’s operation, and I accept full responsibility for my actions.
Ans: Specify the message for emergency leave and specify the reason behind it. Also, mention the action that the team should take now.
Ans: Begin with the polite salutation and state your intention to take leave. Clearly mention the dates for the leave and the reason behind it.
Ans: I’m writing to inform you that I have a family emergency and will need to take leave starting Wednesday. I have coordinated with [colleague’s name] to cover my responsibilities while I am away.
Ans: An emergency leave letter is written when unforeseen circumstances happen in the life of the employee, and the employee wants to take leave for the same.
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