How to Ask for a Day Off the Right Way

Follow these steps on how to ask for a day off:

1. Look over your employee handbook

Prior to asking for time off, read through your employee handbook. It will likely explain the steps you need to take. When you’re in a salaried position, you typically get a set amount of days you can take off. When you work at an hourly job, these protocols may vary. For instance, many hourly employers require you to find someone else to cover when you’re gone. Be aware of your company’s policies before even planning to take time off.

Learn more: 20 Companies Offering Unlimited PTO

2. Check out your team’s schedule

Take a look at your team’s calendar and the company calendar. Make sure you won’t be missing any important training sessions or company retreats. If you must miss them, discuss how you’ll make them up with your manager. Looking at your team’s calendar can also make you aware of any important projects or deadlines. It’s best to request time off when work is slow or other coworkers aren’t taking time off. Of course, this might not always work out, making it important for you to catch up on work in advance.

3. Catch your manager at the right time

In order to increase your chances of getting time off, ask your manager when they aren’t busy. Bonus points if you can catch them in an especially good mood. If you want to ask them in person, ask them when they are free to chat. If you want to send the request via email or an online portal, send it when you know they have extra time.

Use these tips to professionally ask for a day off:

• Give details when appropriate: How many details you give about needing time off depends on how long you’ll be gone. If your work doesn’t require a reason, it’s up to your discretion to disclose information. Typically, if it’s a last-minute request, your manager may appreciate knowing why you’re gone. Likewise, if taking a couple of weeks off, it’s courteous to give a few details about why.
• Ask for permission: Even if you are entitled to a certain number of days off, it’s more polite to ask for time off then to tell. Let your manager know that you considered the schedule of your team and find that this is a good time to take a few days off.
• Give ample notice: Asking for a day off the day before is a risky choice. To ensure you can get time off, ask as soon as you possibly can. The longer you plan to take off, the more notice you should give. For instance, when taking a week-long vacation, let your team know at least a few weeks in advance. Along with increasing your chances of approval, it shows that you are respectful of your team’s planning.
• Do it in the right format: Your employee handbook or training materials should explain how to ask for a day off. For instance, some companies require verbal permission while others prefer that employees send requests in writing.
• Be aware of accrued time: When working in a salaried role, you often accrue some paid time off each paycheck. Double-check that you have accumulated enough time to even request a day off. You may find that you need to ask for an advance or simply wait longer to take time off.

Learn more: What to Do When Your Boss Won’t Approve Your Vacation Time

Use these example emails as your guide when you ask for a day off:

Example 1: Salaried job

‘Dear Sam,

Over the course of the year, I have accrued five days off. I would like to use these five days to take a family vacation sometime in November. My wife and I are hoping to take the kids to Florida to visit their grandparents. I know we are getting busy with Christmas coming soon, so I wanted to run a few dates past you. How would you feel about me taking a full work week off the week of November 1? If that date doesn’t work, my second choice would be November 8.

I feel that with this much notice, I can get caught up on my work. I can even help our team delegate my daily tasks for the week. With all the automation tools I use, all they will need to do is make sure everything published correctly.

Please let me know if one of these dates works for you. I would appreciate a decision within the week so that I can begin to plan my trip.

Best,

David’

Example 2: Hourly job

‘Dear Jessica,

I am writing to formally request off July 17-20. I would like to take a long weekend vacation with my husband up to the Smoky Mountains. Since I haven’t taken a day off since March, this would be a nice little getaway.

I have already asked Jordan to take my shifts. He was more than happy to help. As a reminder, I am scheduled for each one of those days from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. If Jordan is able to take my shifts, I will need to train him on how to clean the oven. He is well aware of this, and he was actually eager to learn.

Let me know if you are okay will this request. I told Jordan I should be able to let him know the final decision by this Friday. If you need more time to decide, please let me know.

Thank you,

Sarah’