Video:How to Write a Maternity Leave Letter
with Meghan Lynn AllenWrite a maternity leave letter to formally communicate with your HR department. Specify your expected time frame, how you will hand off project while on leave, and other important information needed in a maternity leave letter.See Transcript
Transcript:How to Write a Maternity Leave Letter
Hi! This is Meghan Lynn Allen for About.com, and today we'll discuss how to write a maternity leave letter.
Communicate Maternity Leave
You should always start off by delivering the good news verbally to your HR department or your immediate supervisor. But follow up with a letter to have on file that's official and worded properly. Start off the letter by addressing it to your supervisor with the date right up on top of the memo or letter. And express your good news that you're pregnant, and expect to take maternity leave.
Explain Time Frame of Maternity Leave
And you should fill in the amount of time. For instance, I expect to be on maternity leave for 6, 9 or 12 weeks - whatever the case may be. Offer an estimated return date and mention that you can be flexible.
Next, get specific. List work projects that you're currently working on, will be finished before your maternity leave, projects that are okay to put on hold, and projects that must be covered during your absence. If it's a short list of two or three projects under each of those topics, you can include it in the body of your letter. If it's a longer list or needs more explanation or detail, attach another document.
Note Flexibility Needed on Maternity Leave
Before you sign off on your maternity leave letter and hand it off to your human resources department, make sure again to express your gratitude for their understanding and your flexibility. Not only do you need to be flexible about what needs to be accomplished in your absence, but they need to be flexible - because who knows what date the baby will actually come?Your letter can be on letterhead, on a plain piece of paper - but it should always be typed and very clear.
Make sure you proofread before you hand it in, and you can even run it past your partner's eyes or that of a friend or family member, to make sure that it seems accurate, is well-written, and expresses your thoughts clearly and effectively. Hand it in to HR or your supervisor, and it's always good to keep a copy for yourself.
Thanks for watching. To learn more, visit us on the web at About.com.