How to write a compelling family emergency email

How do you write a family emergency email to your boss requesting time off?

A well-written emergency leave email will have the following:

1. A detailed subject line which conveys urgency, the reason for emailing, and time period of leave.
2. The body of your message immediately states the purpose of the email (e.g., requesting time off)
3. Provides a reason for leaving. The reason can be generic (e.g., family emergency, medical emergency) or as specific (e.g., immediate family member has car troubles) as you’d like.
4. Identify how much time you need off, specifically list dates.
5. Give a status of current projects which may need attention in your absence.
6. Provide a solution to urgent ongoing projects, such as getting one of your team members to cover the task while you’re away.

An example of a formal letter or email which conveys these points includes the following:

Subject: Urgent Leave for Today

Hey [Boss’s name],

Sorry for the last minute notice, but I need to leave work early due to a family emergency. Everything will be ok, but I need to attend to the situation.

I plan to return to work tomorrow at normal start time.

I have one urgent project, which is [insert project name or description]. I have already spoken to [coworker’s name], who has agreed to cover the project in my absence.

Thank you,

[Your name]

Keep in mind, your employer has the right to ask for proof of the emergency when missing work. Proof may include a doctor’s note or other documentation which proves the emergency took place.

Luckily, I’ll show you how to write the perfect emergency leave letter for requesting time off when an unexpected event occurs. This guide shows you the exact steps I use to request time off unexpectedly while giving as much detail as you wish.

Related Articles:

• How to Write a Letter for Blowing Off Work due to Family Emergency.
• Last Minute Reasons to Miss Work

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How to write a family emergency email to your boss

Keep the following tips in mind when writing email messages requesting family emergency leave:

1. Use a clear subject line – Subject lines let the recipient know the issue immediately.
2. Mention the purpose of your letter immediately – Get to the point and save your boss time.
3. Provide a reason for your leave – The reason can be for you or direct family members. You can keep the reason generic, such as stating you have an emergency.
4. Say how long you’ll be gone.
5. Provide status of anything urgent – Let your boss know if anything important is going to come up so they can handle it without you.
6. Offer a solution for urgent issues – Offer a solution for anything urgent that may arise. An example would be briefing a coworker on the details of a project which may arise.

Use a clear subject line

The first step in emailing your boss about a family emergency is to develop a clear and concise subject line.

A clear and concise subject line will allow your boss to easily identify your email’s subject and importance. Failing to make a clear and concise subject line may result in your email being passed over in the other hundreds of emails your boss has.

When crafting a subject line, there are a few things we should try and communicate:

1. Urgency – Ideally, your subject line communicates something of urgency so that your boss knows to open your email as a priority.
2. The reason for the email – A good subject line summarizes your email’s intent, so your boss knows what the email is about before opening.
3. Specific dates – It is also good to identify specific dates, such as if you are planning to be absent for an extended period.

Ultimately, the goal of your subject line is to communicate everything you’re going to say in the email concisely.

Examples of good subject lines include:

1. URGENT PTO – Today – 5/1
2. PTO Request – Next week
3. Leaving Today – Family Matters

As you can see, all the subject lines are letting your boss know that you’ll be leaving or out of the office. You can come up with your subject line depending on your relationship with your boss and your company’s policies.

Immediately state the purpose of the email

The subject line should have tipped off your boss as to what the email is about. However, requesting time off for a family emergency or any other issue should get straight to the point.

Your boss will often receive hundreds of emails per day. Nobody, especially management, wants to read a novella. All they need to know is that you are requesting time off, for what reason, and when you plan to be back in the office.

Therefore, state the reason for your email immediately after your greeting.

For example:

Hey Boss,

I need to take off from work early today due to a family emergency.

Provide a reason for your leave

Anytime you request time off, it is best practice to provide a reason. However, it is especially important to provide a reason for taking off from work on short notice, such as for an urgent family matter.

Therefore, give a reason for your leave.

Taking our example a step further, our email now reads:

Hey Boss,

I need to take off from work early today due to a family emergency. I received a call from my child’s school and need to pick them up immediately. Nothing major, but it does require my attention.

Keep in mind that you don’t have to give more details than you want. The majority of bosses will accept your justification without a second thought. Only a few bosses will request further details or even proof that you had an emergency situation.

You’ll notice in the example that my justification is receiving a call from my child’s school. I didn’t specifically state why they needed to be picked up, but that it had to happen.

I did include the statement, “Nothing major, but it does require my attention.” I have had boss’s ask if everything is ok, so a simple statement eliminates their concerns.

Now, if you wanted to give more details, you could. I find the more details you give your boss, the more trust you tend to build.

Therefore, your excuse might read:

Hey Boss,

I need to take off from work early today due to a family emergency. I received a call from my child’s school and need to pick them up immediately. It seems they were in a fight today, and the school is sending them home.

There are many family emergencies that are acceptable reasons for leaving work, including:

• Urgent medical appointments
• To care for a sick child or family member
• A family member needs urgent help
• Family member struggling with mental health issues
• A death in the family

Identify the length of your leave

Your email should also include how long you intend to be away from work. Your boss needs to know if you plan to be gone for an hour, a day, or even a week or longer.

Continuing on with our example, our email now reads:

Hey Boss,

I need to take off from work early today due to a family emergency. I received a call from my child’s school and need to pick them up immediately. Nothing major, but it does require my attention.

I plan to return at the normal start time tomorrow.

Provide a current status of urgent projects

The best thing you can do for your career and to make your sudden leave from work go smoothly is to provide a status update. Your status update should include anything that may occur during your absence.

Should nothing be on your radar for coming up during your absence, state that nothing urgent should arise.

Let’s assume you had an urgent project. Our example would now look something like this:

Hey Boss,

I need to take off from work early today due to a family emergency. I received a call from my child’s school and need to pick them up immediately. Nothing major, but it does require my attention.

I plan to return at the normal start time tomorrow.

The only urgent project I’m working on is the Sales and Revenue report. However, it is currently with [Coworker] for review.

Include a solution to any work issues which may arise

Providing a status update is always a good idea. However, a status update is often like throwing your problems onto somebody else. In this case, you are telling your boss they are inheriting your problem.

Besides staying married and getting paid, the top rule of working is to make your boss’s life easier. Therefore, offer a solution to the problem you just presented.

Sticking with our example email, it now reads:

Hey Boss,

I need to take off from work early today due to a family emergency. I received a call from my child’s school and need to pick them up immediately. Nothing major, but it does require my attention.

I plan to return at the normal start time tomorrow.

The only urgent project I’m working on is the Sales and Revenue report. However, it is currently with [Coworker] for review. [Coworker #2] is already familiar with the report and has agreed to finish it if [Coworker] gets done with their review.

As you can see, you took the initiative to come up with the solution. You talked with a different coworker who was already familiar with the report and asked if they could cover your work scope.

You are now free to leave, knowing that the company can basically run without you. Also, I assume you are following your company’s policies on taking time off.

Additional tips for making a perfect leave of absence email

Keep the following tips in mind when writing letters to your boss for time off:

1. Keep the email professional
2. Make a statement about taking time off. Do not request permission.
3. Keep your email short
4. Avoid using language which may be misinterpreted

Keep the email professional

I find it best to keep your request for time off professional.

Technically, your employer has the right to deny casual requests for time off, so maintaining professionality increases your chances of being granted time off. However, employers cannot deny leave covered under Family Medical Leave Act, but it is best to maintain professionalism.

Employers will generally keep your level of professionalism in mind for pay increases, performance reviews, and even layoffs. Therefore, I always like to maintain a professional relationship that makes it look like I care about my position.

Make statements, not requests

I find making statements is more effective than making a request. A statement directly tells your boss that you will not be at work. Requesting is asking your boss for permission to take time off of work.

For example, a statement would be:

“I cannot make it to work today.”

A request would be:

“I would like to ask for today off.” 

The difference is subtle, but the request subconsciously tells your boss that you are seeking their permission.

Technically, you are asking for permission. However, when your boss thinks you are asking for permission, they are likelier to say no to your request.

A statement subconsciously tells your boss that you are taking time off and not consulting them. Instead, you are providing a courtesy to let them know that you cannot make it to work.

Ultimately, your boss will push back if they need to. However, I would not give them a reason to push back, and making a statement will typically generate more favorable results.

Keep the email short

My boss tends to get over 100 emails per day. Your boss does not have a whole lot of time to sift through your email and read.

Therefore, help your boss out and keep your email short. All your boss really needs to know is when you will be gone, the reason for your absence, when you will be back, and anything urgent that may arise.

Proofread before sending

Part of writing a good time off request email is ensuring that the email is error-free. Not only do you want good grammatical sentences, but you also need to make sure important details are correct.

For example, you want to ensure that the dates you request are indeed the correct dates.

Avoid statements that can be misconstrued

You should always avoid statements that can be misconstrued and try to clarify your intent.

For example, using phrasing like “Next Monday” can be confusing. Some people may interpret this as “This coming Monday” and others as “The Monday after Monday.”

Instead, you should include a date. For example, “I would like to request Monday, 1/16, off.”

Sample family emergency email

I use the following sample email when I have a family emergency and need to take off from work.

Hey Boss,

Sorry for the short notice, but I must take the rest of the day off for a family emergency. It’s nothing to worry about, but it does require my attention.

I plan to return tomorrow at the normal start time. I will send you a text message if this changes.

I am not currently working on urgent projects that need my attention today. However, I will let you know if anything does come up when I am out-of-office.