You’d like to take time off work — maybe to take on a fellowship, go on a long trip, or spend time with family — but you don’t have the vacation days to cover the time away. How do you ask your boss — and HR — for an unpaid leave? How can you find out if others in your company have done this before? Does the purpose of the break need to be work-related? What would make your case more appealing to your manager?
How to Ask Your Boss for an Unpaid Leave to Travel, Study, or Spend Time with Family
Explain how you’ll minimize the impact on coworkers and clients.
February 05, 2019
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Summary.
You’d like to take time off work but you don’t have the vacation days to cover the time away. How do you ask your boss for an unpaid leave? Start by doing your homework. Has this been done before? Did it work? When building your case, make sure to present how taking this opportunity. If you need a break in order to avoid burnout, explain how the extended absence will revitalize you to work even harder when you come back. Plan your leave to minimize the impact on coworkers and clients. Try to head off any possible objections but be flexible to other options. Framing the opportunity well can go a long way.
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Difficult Interactions Course
Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Difficult Interactions. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
Learn how to resolve those inevitable workplace conflicts.