Key takeaways
- Only some leave is required by law: 5 days of service incentive leave after one year (Art. 95), 105-day maternity leave (RA 11210), 7-day paternity leave (RA 8187) and 7 working days of solo parent leave (RA 11861). Vacation, sick and emergency leave beyond that come from company policy or a CBA.
- A sick leave letter for more than three days doubles as your notice for the SSS sickness benefit; give it to your employer within five calendar days (RA 11199 Sec. 14).
- A maternity leave letter should state your expected date of delivery, the number of days (105, 120 or 60), any days allocated to the child's father and whether you will take the 30-day unpaid extension.
- Always give exact dates and a return-to-work date. Absence without approved leave can be treated as AWOL, so file before you go or as soon as you can.
- Keep a copy stamped received or approved; it is your proof if your leave is later questioned or deducted.
The three ways to use this leave letter generator
| If you want to… | Choose | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| See a finished letter for your kind of leave first | See a filled example | A complete sample for each tab: Maria Clara S. Dela Cruz asking for unpaid leave, vacation, sick, maternity or emergency leave |
| Type your own dates and print or email a clean letter | Fill it online | A one-page letter on long bond with your dates, day count, handover and contact lines, plus an approval line for your supervisor |
| Fill it in by hand at the office | Blank, to fill by hand | The same letter with ruled blanks for the dates, reason, handover and signature |
Pick a pill above the form for the type of leave: Leave of absence, Vacation leave, Sick leave, Maternity leave or Emergency leave. Each tab loads its own example, so the sick leave tab shows a dengue case with a medical certificate and the SSS notice, and the maternity tab shows an expected delivery date and an allocation to the child's father. Switch the language tab to Tagalog for the Filipino version. The letter ends with an Approved / Disapproved line so your supervisor can sign your copy. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
What every leave of absence letter must include
Whatever the reason for your absence, HR reads a leave request for the same handful of facts. If any one of them is missing, the request comes back to you, or worse, it is approved with the wrong dates and the payroll deduction surprises you at the next cut-off.
- The type of leave in the subject line: “Re: Application for Sick Leave”. HR charges it to a different credit balance depending on the type.
- The first and last day of leave as calendar dates, and the number of days. Write “November 16 to 20, 2026 (5 days)”, never “next week”.
- The date you will report back. This closes the period, so there is no question of AWOL on the day after your leave ends.
- Paid or unpaid: whether you want it charged to your leave credits or taken without pay.
- The reason, as briefly as the type of leave allows. Vacation leave needs none; sick and emergency leave need a short, factual one.
- Who covers your work and what you hand over before you go.
- A number where you can be reached for urgent questions, if you are willing to be reached.
- Your signature over your printed name in capitals, your position, and a line for the approver.
When to file each kind of leave
Weeks ahead
Vacation leave and planned leave of absence: file as early as your handbook asks (many companies ask for one to two weeks). Maternity: tell HR as soon as the pregnancy is confirmed so the SSS Maternity Notification can be filed.
Before the shift, same day
Sudden illness or emergency: call or message your supervisor before your shift starts, following the company's call-in rule.
Within 5 calendar days of falling ill
Sickness lasting more than 3 days: give your employer written notice for the SSS sickness benefit (RA 11199 Sec. 14). The employer then has 5 calendar days to notify SSS.
On your return
Submit the formal letter (if you only called in), the medical certificate or other proof, and get your copy stamped received or approved.
At least 45 days before maternity leave ends
If you will take the extra 30 days without pay, give written notice (RA 11210).
Leave of absence letter for unpaid or extended leave
A leave of absence (LOA) is the catch-all: time off that does not fit vacation, sick or maternity leave, or that runs longer than your credits. Typical reasons are caring for a sick parent, a family move, a board examination review, a funeral in the province, or simply exhausted leave credits. Most LOAs are without pay, and approval is at the employer's discretion under company policy, so the letter has to make it easy to say yes: exact dates, a clear return date, and a handover plan that shows the work will not stop.
October 23, 2026
ANA LIZA M. GARCIA
Operations Manager
Makati Business Solutions Inc.
Re: Application for Leave of Absence
Dear Ms. Garcia:
I respectfully request a leave of absence without pay from November 9, 2026 to December 4, 2026 (26 days). I am requesting this leave to accompany my mother, who will undergo surgery and recovery in Lucena City.
I understand that this leave will be without pay and will not be charged against my leave credits. I will report back to work on December 7, 2026.
Before my leave starts, I will hand over my open customer tickets and scheduled callbacks to Ramon P. Villanueva. While on leave, I can be reached at +63 917 123 4567 for urgent matters.
Respectfully yours,
MARIA CLARA S. DELA CRUZ
Customer Service Representative
Choose the Leave of absence tab in the generator to edit this letter with your own dates.
Two things to check before you send it. First, look up your remaining credits: if you still have paid days, ask for those first and only the balance without pay, or your employer may simply deduct the whole period. The leave credits calculator shows how many days you have earned. Second, an unpaid absence of several weeks can affect your 13th month pay (it is computed on basic salary actually earned) and your SSS contribution for those months, so ask HR how they will treat it.
Legal basis: No law gives private employees a general right to an unpaid leave of absence; approval follows the company handbook or CBA. Statutory exceptions with their own letters: RA 8187 (paternity leave), RA 11861 (solo parent leave), RA 9262 Sec. 43 (up to 10 days' paid leave for victims of violence against women and their children, extendible as the protection order specifies), RA 9710 Sec. 18 (special leave of two months with full pay after gynecological surgery, for women with at least six months of aggregate service in the last twelve months).
Primary sources: RA 8187 on Lawphil · RA 9262 on Lawphil · RA 9710 on Lawphil
Vacation leave letter: using your SIL or company vacation days
Vacation leave is the easiest letter to write and the one most often turned down, usually because of timing rather than the reason. You do not have to explain why you want a holiday. What matters is filing early, naming dates that do not collide with peak days or other approved leave on your team, and showing that your work is covered. The legal floor is the service incentive leave (SIL) of Article 95 of the Labor Code: 5 days with pay a year once you have rendered at least one year of service. Many companies give more (often 10 to 15 vacation days), and those extra days follow the handbook.
October 23, 2026
Dear Ms. Garcia:
I respectfully request vacation leave from November 16, 2026 to November 20, 2026 (5 days). The leave is for a family trip to Bohol that was booked in August.
Please charge these days against my vacation leave credits, of which I have 8 days left as of my latest payslip. I am filing this request in advance so the team schedule can be adjusted. I will report back to work on November 23, 2026.
Before my leave starts, I will hand over my open customer tickets and scheduled callbacks to Ramon P. Villanueva.
Respectfully yours,
MARIA CLARA S. DELA CRUZ
The Vacation leave tab fills in the day count and your remaining credits.
| Excluded group | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Employees with less than one year of service | SIL starts after 12 months; until then, any leave is by company policy |
| Employees already enjoying vacation leave with pay of at least 5 days | Your company's vacation leave replaces SIL; it cannot be less than 5 days |
| Establishments regularly employing fewer than 10 employees | Small employers are exempt from SIL, though many still grant leave |
| Government employees | Covered by Civil Service leave rules instead |
| Managerial employees, field personnel and others excluded by the implementing rules | Check your contract and handbook for your leave entitlement |
Who is not entitled to the 5-day service incentive leave (Art. 95 and its implementing rules)
Unused SIL is converted to cash at the end of the year or on separation under the implementing rules, so a denied vacation is not lost money if it is SIL. Company vacation days beyond the statutory five may or may not convert; your handbook decides. Count what you have with the leave credits calculator, and read the full rules on the service incentive leave page.
Legal basis: Labor Code Art. 95 (Right to service incentive leave; the article kept its number in the 2015 renumbering): every employee who has rendered at least one year of service is entitled to a yearly service incentive leave of 5 days with pay, with the exclusions listed in paragraph (b). Cash conversion of unused SIL comes from the implementing rules (Book III, Rule V of the Omnibus Rules).
Primary sources: Labor Code (PD 442) on Lawphil
Sick leave letter and the SSS sickness benefit
The Labor Code has no separate sick leave. Paid sick days come from your company policy or CBA, or you may use your service incentive leave for illness. What the law does give is the SSS sickness benefit, and the sick leave letter is the simplest way to meet its notice rule. If you are ill for more than three days, your written letter to HR is your notice of sickness; give it within five calendar days, keep a receiving copy, and attach the medical certificate. For one or two days of fever, a call before your shift and a short letter on your return are usually enough.
October 23, 2026
Dear Ms. Garcia:
I respectfully request sick leave from October 19, 2026 to October 23, 2026 (5 days) because of dengue fever, on the advice of my attending physician. A copy of my medical certificate is attached.
As my illness has kept me from work for more than three (3) days, please also treat this letter as my notice of sickness for the SSS sickness benefit under Section 14 of Republic Act No. 11199. Kindly let me know if HR needs any other document to notify SSS.
I will report back to work on October 26, 2026. I have asked Ramon P. Villanueva to cover my open customer tickets while I am away.
Respectfully yours,
MARIA CLARA S. DELA CRUZ
In the Sick leave tab, set Medical certificate attached and Notify for SSS sickness benefit to Yes or No.
| Condition | What it means for your letter |
|---|---|
| At least 3 monthly contributions in the 12 months before the semester of sickness | Check your contributions on My.SSS; new hires may not qualify yet |
| Confined for more than 3 days, in a hospital or elsewhere with SSS approval | Three days or fewer: only company sick leave applies |
| Employee notifies the employer within 5 calendar days | Your sick leave letter, dated and received, is that notice; not required if you were confined in a hospital or fell ill at work |
| Employer notifies SSS within 5 calendar days of your notice | If the employer is late, SSS reimburses it only from the tenth day before its notice |
| Benefit: 90% of average daily salary credit, up to 120 days a year | Your employer advances it on payday after your paid sick leave is used, then claims reimbursement |
SSS sickness benefit: the conditions in RA 11199 Sec. 14
Remind me of the SSS sickness deadlines
Enter the first day you fell ill. You get the two five-day deadlines as calendar events.
A sick leave letter should never carry more medical detail than needed. “Dengue fever” or “acute gastroenteritis” is enough; your diagnosis, test results and prescriptions stay with the medical certificate, which HR must keep confidential as sensitive personal information under the Data Privacy Act. If your illness is long or recurring, ask HR in writing how your remaining credits will be applied, and check your balance with the leave credits calculator. For a single missed day where you need to explain the absence rather than request leave, an excuse letter is the better fit.
Legal basis: RA 11199 (Social Security Act of 2018) Sec. 14, Sickness Benefit: at least three monthly contributions in the twelve-month period immediately preceding the semester of sickness; confinement for more than three days; notice to the employer within five calendar days; 90% of the average daily salary credit; not longer than 120 days in one calendar year; reimbursement of the employer by SSS.
Primary sources: RA 11199 on Lawphil · SSS sickness benefit
Maternity leave letter under RA 11210 (Expanded Maternity Leave Law)
The maternity leave letter is the only one on this page that asks for a leave the employer cannot refuse. RA 11210 grants 105 days with full pay for live birth, whether normal or caesarean, every time you give birth regardless of how often; 120 days if you are a solo parent; and 60 days for miscarriage or emergency termination of pregnancy. You may take part of it before delivery, but the postnatal portion cannot be less than 60 days, and the leave runs continuously in calendar days, weekends and holidays included. Your civil status does not matter. The letter therefore does not ask permission; it notifies HR of your dates and choices so payroll and SSS can process them.
October 23, 2026
Dear Ms. Garcia:
My expected date of delivery is December 7, 2026. I respectfully request maternity leave of 105 days with full pay under Republic Act No. 11210, the 105-Day Expanded Maternity Leave Law, starting November 23, 2026.
Under Section 6 of RA 11210, I am allocating 7 days of my maternity leave to the child's father, Paolo Miguel R. Santos. My own leave will therefore be 98 days, from November 23, 2026 to February 28, 2027.
I have already given HR my SSS Maternity Notification and proof of pregnancy. I will report back to work on March 1, 2027.
Respectfully yours,
MARIA CLARA S. DELA CRUZ
The Maternity leave tab lets you choose 105, 120 or 60 days, the allocation, and the unpaid extension.
| Situation | Days with full pay | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Live birth, normal or caesarean | 105 | Up to 7 days may be allocated to the child's father or an alternate caregiver |
| Live birth, solo parent under RA 11861 | 120 | 105 + 15 additional days |
| Miscarriage or emergency termination of pregnancy | 60 | The allocation option does not apply |
| Optional extension | 30 without pay | Written notice at least 45 days before the maternity leave ends |
Maternity leave days under RA 11210
- Expected date of delivery
- December 7, 2026
- First day of leave (two weeks before)
- November 23, 2026
- Full leave under RA 11210
- 105 days
- Days allocated to the child's father
- 7 days
- Maria's own leave
- 105 − 7 = 98 calendar days
- Last day of leave
- November 23, 2026 + 97 days = February 28, 2027
- Return to work
- March 1, 2027
- If she adds the 30 unpaid days
- Leave ends March 30, 2027
Maria writes “from November 23, 2026 to February 28, 2027” and returns on March 1, 2027. If the baby arrives early or late, the leave still runs continuously from the day it started; tell HR the actual delivery date for the SSS claim.
- 1
Tell HR you are pregnant
As soon as the pregnancy is confirmed, give HR the SSS Maternity Notification with proof of pregnancy (an ultrasound report or a physician's certification). Your employer files the notification with SSS through its My.SSS employer account.
- 2
Check your SSS eligibility
You need at least three monthly contributions in the twelve months before the semester of your delivery. Look at your contribution record on My.SSS early.
- 3
File the maternity leave letter
State your expected delivery date, the number of days, the dates, any allocation to the father and whether you will take the unpaid extension.
- 4
Receive the advance
Your employer advances the full maternity benefit within 30 days from the filing of your maternity leave application, and pays the salary differential unless it is exempt.
- 5
Report the birth
After delivery, give HR the documents it needs for the SSS reimbursement claim, such as the birth certificate or medical records.
Salary differential is the gap between the SSS maternity benefit and your full pay; the employer pays it, except distressed establishments, retail and service businesses with ten or fewer workers, qualifying micro enterprises with assets of ₱3,000,000 or less, and employers already giving equal or better benefits (exemptions are justified to DOLE yearly). The law also protects your job: using maternity leave cannot be a ground for demotion or termination. Employers who fail to comply face a fine of ₱20,000 to ₱200,000, imprisonment of six years and one day to twelve years, or both, and non-renewal of their business permit. If the leave or pay is refused, see how to file a DOLE complaint. Fathers get their own paid leave on top of any allocated days under the paternity leave law, and your leave credits for vacation and SIL are untouched by maternity leave.
Legal basis: RA 11210 (2019), 105-Day Expanded Maternity Leave Law: Sec. 3 (105 days; 15 additional days for solo parents; 60 days for miscarriage or emergency termination; optional 30 days without pay; every instance of pregnancy regardless of frequency), Sec. 5 (three monthly contributions; advance within 30 days; salary differential and exemptions; 45-day notice for the extension), Sec. 6 (up to 7 days allocated to the father or an alternate caregiver), Sec. 9 (postnatal leave not less than 60 days), Sec. 15 (security of tenure), Sec. 18 (penalties).
Primary sources: RA 11210 on Lawphil · SSS maternity benefit
Emergency leave letter for family emergencies, bereavement and calamities
No Philippine statute creates “emergency leave” or “bereavement leave” for private employees. Whether you get paid days for a family member's hospitalisation, a death in the family, a fire or a flood depends on your handbook or CBA; some companies grant three to five days, others charge it to vacation leave. What every employer expects is notice as early as possible. Call or message your supervisor before your shift, then put it in writing the same day or on your return. Without that, two or three days away can be recorded as unauthorised absence, which is the starting point of an AWOL case.
October 23, 2026
Dear Ms. Garcia:
I respectfully request emergency leave of 3 working days from October 26, 2026 to October 28, 2026, because my father was rushed to the hospital in Lucena City after a stroke last night, and I need to be with him.
I will update you if the situation changes and will submit supporting documents on my return if required. Please charge these days against my available leave credits, or treat them as leave without pay if my credits have been used.
I will report back to work on October 29, 2026.
Respectfully yours,
MARIA CLARA S. DELA CRUZ
The Emergency leave tab asks for the nature of the emergency and the number of working days.
- Bereavement: name the relationship and the place of the wake or burial; HR may ask for the death certificate later.
- Hospitalisation of a family member: a hospital admission slip or a clinical abstract is usually accepted as proof.
- Fire, flood or typhoon damage: a barangay certification is the common supporting document.
- If you cannot return on the date you gave, send a new letter extending the leave before that date, not after.
- If you have no credits left, ask for the extra days as a leave of absence without pay rather than staying away silently.
Run out of credits mid-emergency? Check your balance with the leave credits calculator and switch to the Leave of absence tab for the unpaid days. If the emergency is your own health, use the Sick leave tab instead, because a sickness of more than three days may qualify for the SSS sickness benefit.
Legal basis: Emergency, bereavement and calamity leave are not required by the Labor Code for private employees; they come from company policy, the employment contract or a collective bargaining agreement. An established company practice of granting such leave can become a benefit that cannot be unilaterally withdrawn (Labor Code Art. 100, non-diminution of benefits).
Primary sources: Labor Code (PD 442) on Lawphil
Leave letter in Tagalog: sample
Every tab has a Filipino version. Keep the leave types in English (sick leave, vacation leave, maternity leave), because that is what payroll systems and handbooks use, and write the rest in polite Filipino with “po”. Close with “Lubos na gumagalang,” above your signature.
Oktubre 23, 2026
Mahal na Ginang Garcia:
Magalang ko pong hinihiling na ako ay mabigyan ng sick leave mula Oktubre 19, 2026 hanggang Oktubre 23, 2026 (5 araw) dahil sa dengue fever, ayon sa payo ng aking doktor. Kalakip po ng liham na ito ang kopya ng aking medical certificate.
Dahil higit sa tatlong (3) araw ang aking pagkakasakit, ituring din po sana ang liham na ito bilang abiso ko ng pagkakasakit para sa SSS sickness benefit sa ilalim ng Section 14 ng Republic Act No. 11199.
Babalik po ako sa trabaho sa Oktubre 26, 2026. Maraming salamat po sa inyong pang-unawa.
Lubos na gumagalang,
MARIA CLARA S. DELA CRUZ
Statutory leave vs company leave: which days the law guarantees
| Leave | Days | Paid? | Legal basis | Letter tab |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service incentive leave | 5 days a year after 1 year of service | Yes; unused converts to cash | Labor Code Art. 95 | Vacation leave |
| Maternity leave | 105 / 120 / 60 days | Yes (SSS benefit + salary differential) | RA 11210 | Maternity leave |
| Paternity leave | 7 days, first 4 deliveries | Yes, full pay | RA 8187 | Leave of absence |
| Solo parent leave | 7 working days a year | Yes | RA 11861 | Leave of absence |
| VAWC leave | Up to 10 days, extendible per protection order | Yes | RA 9262 Sec. 43 | Leave of absence |
| Special leave for women (gynecological surgery) | Up to 2 months | Yes, full pay | RA 9710 Sec. 18 | Leave of absence |
| Vacation leave beyond SIL | Per handbook or CBA | Per policy | Contract / CBA | Vacation leave |
| Sick leave | Per handbook or CBA; SSS benefit if more than 3 days | Per policy; SSS 90% of ADSC | Contract / CBA; RA 11199 Sec. 14 | Sick leave |
| Emergency, bereavement, calamity leave | Per handbook or CBA | Per policy | Contract / CBA | Emergency leave |
Statutory leaves are a floor. A company may give more but never less, and where the company leave already meets the law (for example, 10 vacation days that cover the 5-day SIL), the law does not add the two together. For the full map of which Labor Code article controls what, start with the Labor Code guide.
How to fill in the leave letter, part by part
Your details
Use the name and position on your company ID and in your 201 file, plus your department or account and employee ID. HR enters leave against your ID number, and a mismatch is the most common reason a leave approved by your supervisor never reaches payroll. The date of the letter is the day you sign it; for a sick or emergency letter written after the fact, use the real date, not the first day of leave.
Addressee and company
Address the letter to whoever approves leave under your handbook, normally your immediate supervisor or team leader, and copy HR in the cc line. Use the company's registered name. If your company uses an HR portal for leave, file it there as well and attach the letter as a PDF so the reason and dates are on record in both places.
Leave dates
Enter the first and last day of leave and the date you will report back. The generator counts calendar days between the two dates and prints the total. For vacation and emergency leave HR usually counts working days only, so if your leave crosses a weekend, check that the number on the letter matches what you want charged. For maternity leave the count is in calendar days, and the generator warns you if your dates do not add up to the days you chose.
Leave of absence details
Write the reason as a clause that follows “I am requesting this leave …”, for example “to attend my brother's wedding in Cebu”, and choose With pay or Without pay. With pay asks HR to charge your credits first and treat any excess as unpaid. For paternity or solo parent leave, put the law in the reason so HR applies the right entitlement.
Vacation leave details
The purpose is optional; many employees leave it blank. Adding your remaining credits helps the approver decide quickly, and catches errors early if HR's count is different from yours.
Sick leave details
Name the illness in a few words, state whether the medical certificate is attached, and choose whether the letter should serve as your SSS sickness notice. Choose Yes only if you were ill for more than three days; the generator reminds you if your dates are shorter.
Maternity leave details
Enter the expected date of delivery from your obstetrician or midwife, then choose 105, 120 or 60 days. For the allocation, enter how many days (0 to 7) go to the child's father and his name; his employer also needs written notice, so give him a copy of your letter. Choose Yes for the extension only if you are sure, because the letter then serves as your 45-day notice.
Emergency leave details
Describe what happened in one sentence that follows “because …”, and enter the number of working days you need. If you do not know yet, ask for the shortest realistic period and extend it in writing if needed.
Handover and contact
Name the colleague who will cover your work and list what you will hand over: open tickets, client follow-ups, pending approvals, keys or passwords to shared tools. Your mobile number is optional; leave it blank if you do not want to be contacted while on leave.
Leave letter mistakes that get leave denied or deducted
| The mistake | Why it matters | Do this instead |
|---|---|---|
| Leaving first and writing later, with no call-in | The absence may be treated as unauthorised and become an AWOL case | Call or message before your shift, then file the letter |
| No return-to-work date | HR cannot close the leave; an extra day away looks like AWOL | Always write the date you will report back |
| “Next week” or “a few days” instead of dates | Payroll charges the wrong days | Write exact calendar dates and the number of days |
| Sick leave of more than 3 days without written notice | You may lose the SSS sickness benefit for late notice | Give the letter within 5 calendar days and keep a received copy |
| Maternity leave dates counted in working days | The 105 days are calendar days; your return date will be wrong | Count calendar days, weekends and holidays included |
| Allocating days to the father without telling his employer | He cannot take the allocated days without notice to his employer | Give him a copy of your letter for his HR |
| Too much medical detail in the letter | Sensitive information spreads beyond HR | Name the illness briefly; let the medical certificate carry the rest |
| No copy marked received or approved | No proof if the leave is later questioned or deducted | Get your copy signed, or keep the sent email or portal screenshot |
When your leave is denied or deducted: what to do
Company leave such as vacation or emergency days can be refused for business reasons, and you should not go on leave without approval. Statutory leave is different. If your employer refuses maternity or paternity leave, or will not pay unused SIL, you can escalate step by step without a lawyer.
- 1
Ask for the reason in writing
Reply to the denial by email and ask which policy or rule it is based on. Keep your original letter and the receiving copy.
- 2
Send a short written demand
Cite the law: RA 11210 for maternity leave, RA 8187 for paternity leave, Art. 95 for SIL. Give a reasonable date for a reply.
- 3
File a SEnA request at DOLE
Mandatory conciliation for labor claims, free of charge. Use the SEnA request for assistance or file online through DOLE ARMS.
- 4
Escalate if there is no settlement
The SEnA officer refers the case to the DOLE Regional Office or the NLRC. For job loss after leave, see illegal dismissal.
If you are leaving the company and have unused SIL, it should appear as a cash item in your final pay; the final pay calculator shows how it is computed. If you are asked to explain an absence through a Notice to Explain after your leave, answer it with your letter and receiving copy attached, using the reply to a notice to explain.
Other names people search for
- Leave of absence letter sample
- Leave letter for work
- Leave application letter
- Vacation leave letter sample
- Sick leave letter for office
- Maternity leave letter to employer
- Emergency leave letter sample
- Request letter for leave of absence
- Unpaid leave letter
- Bereavement leave letter
- Halimbawa ng leave letter
- Liham ng paghingi ng leave
Frequently asked questions
+How do I write a leave of absence letter for work?
Address your supervisor and copy HR. State that you are requesting a leave of absence, the first and last day, the number of days, whether it is with or without pay, and the date you will report back. Give a one-line reason, name who covers your work, add a contact number, and sign over your printed name. Keep a copy marked received or approved.
+Can my employer refuse a leave of absence without pay?
Yes. No law gives private employees a general right to unpaid leave, so approval follows the handbook and business needs. Make approval easier with early filing, exact dates and a handover plan. Statutory leaves are different: maternity, paternity, solo parent, VAWC and special leave for women cannot be refused when you meet the conditions. Do not go on leave until the request is approved in writing.
+Can I use a leave of absence letter for paternity leave?
Yes. Choose the Leave of absence tab, set it to With pay, and write in the reason that it is paternity leave under Republic Act No. 8187 for the birth of your child, with the date. The law gives 7 days with full pay to a married male employee cohabiting with his wife, for the first four deliveries. Attach the documents your HR asks for, such as the marriage certificate.
+How many days of vacation leave am I entitled to in the Philippines?
The legal minimum is the service incentive leave under Article 95: 5 days with pay a year once you have at least one year of service. Small employers with fewer than ten workers and companies already giving at least five paid vacation days are excluded. Anything above five days comes from your contract, handbook or CBA. Unused SIL converts to cash under the implementing rules.
+Do I need to give a reason in a vacation leave letter?
No. Vacation leave is your earned benefit, and a request with exact dates, a return date and a handover line is complete. Some employees add a short purpose such as a family trip, which can help when several people ask for the same week. What decides approval is usually timing and team coverage, so file as early as your handbook requires and avoid peak days.
+How early should I file a vacation leave letter?
Follow your handbook; many companies ask for one to two weeks before the first day, and longer for holidays or peak seasons. No law sets the notice period for vacation leave. Filing early gives your supervisor time to arrange coverage and makes approval more likely. If your request is approved verbally, ask for it in writing or through the HR portal before you book tickets.
+What should a sick leave letter include?
The dates you were or will be absent, the number of days, the illness in a few words, whether a medical certificate is attached, your return date and who covers your work. For more than three days of illness, add a line asking HR to treat the letter as your notice for the SSS sickness benefit. Keep medical detail short; the certificate carries the diagnosis.
+Do I need a medical certificate for sick leave?
No law requires one for every sick day; your company policy decides, and many require it for absences of two or three days or more. For the SSS sickness benefit, which needs more than three days of confinement, supporting medical documents are expected. Attach a copy to your sick leave letter, keep the original, and give HR only what it needs.
+How do I claim the SSS sickness benefit as an employee?
You need at least three monthly contributions in the twelve months before the semester of your sickness and more than three days of confinement. Notify your employer in writing within five calendar days; your sick leave letter does this. The employer notifies SSS within five days, advances 90% of your average daily salary credit on payday after paid sick leave is used, and claims reimbursement.
+How do I write a maternity leave letter to my employer?
State your expected date of delivery, that you are taking maternity leave under RA 11210, the number of days (105, 120 as a solo parent, or 60 after miscarriage), the first and last day, and your return date. Add any days allocated to the child's father, mention your SSS Maternity Notification, and say whether you will take the 30 unpaid days. Sign and keep a receiving copy.
+Can I give part of my maternity leave to my partner?
Yes. Under Section 6 of RA 11210 you may allocate up to 7 days of your paid maternity leave to the child's father, whether or not you are married. If the father is absent, dead or incapacitated, the days may go to an alternate caregiver, such as a relative within the fourth degree of consanguinity. The option applies to live birth, not miscarriage. Give written notice to both employers.
+Can I extend my maternity leave beyond 105 days?
Yes, by an additional 30 days without pay. RA 11210 requires written notice to your employer at least 45 days before your maternity leave ends. Solo parents receive 120 paid days before any extension. Choose Yes for the extension in the Maternity leave tab and the letter will include the notice line. You can also ask HR whether company leave credits can cover part of it.
+Who pays maternity leave in the Philippines, SSS or the employer?
Both. SSS pays the maternity benefit based on your average daily salary credit, but your employer advances the full amount within 30 days from the filing of your leave application and is reimbursed by SSS. The employer also pays the salary differential between the SSS benefit and your full pay, unless exempt as a distressed, very small or micro business or one already giving equal or better benefits.
+Is emergency leave required by law in the Philippines?
No. The Labor Code does not require emergency, bereavement or calamity leave for private employees. Whether you get paid days for a family hospitalisation, a death or a disaster depends on your handbook, contract or CBA. If the company has granted such leave consistently over time, it may have become a benefit that cannot be withdrawn on its own. Otherwise, use vacation leave or unpaid leave.
+How do I write an emergency leave letter if I already left?
Call or message your supervisor first, before your shift if you can. Then send the letter the same day or as soon as possible: what happened in one sentence, the dates, the number of working days, your return date and who is covering your work. Ask HR to charge your credits or treat the days as unpaid. Submit proof such as a hospital record on your return.
+What happens if I am absent without filing an emergency leave?
Your employer may treat the days as unauthorised absence. Repeated or prolonged unauthorised absence can lead to a Notice to Explain and, if the employer proves you intended to abandon your job, to dismissal for AWOL after due process. Prevent this by notifying your supervisor right away, filing the letter, and keeping proof of when you sent it. If you get a notice, answer it in writing.
Related formats and guides
Official sources
- RA 11210, 105-Day Expanded Maternity Leave Law — Maternity leave days, allocation to the father, unpaid extension, salary differential and penalties.
- RA 11199, Social Security Act of 2018 — Sec. 14: sickness benefit conditions, five-day notice rules and employer reimbursement.
- Labor Code of the Philippines (PD 442) — Art. 95 (service incentive leave) and Art. 100 (non-diminution of benefits).
- SSS Maternity Benefit — Maternity Notification through the employer's My.SSS account, eligibility and computation.
- RA 8187, Paternity Leave Act of 1996 — Seven days of paternity leave with full pay for the first four deliveries.
Deepak Middha, Chartered Accountant
18 years in hedge funds; writes and maintains sulat.ph. Legal statements on this page link to the statute, issuance or court decision they rest on, and were checked against those sources on 2026-10-23. Where a rule could not be confirmed from an official source, the page says so or leaves it out.
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