Apology Letter for Being Absent due to Sickness

FORMAT
bizzlibrary template file type image

CATEGORY

DEPARTMENT
Leisure

LANGUAGE
English

TYPE & SIZE
.docx (0.02 MB)

Everybody will have to deal with sickness, sooner or later. Occasionally, if the illness gives you a bad feeling and prevents you from going to the office for one or a few days. When this happens, you need to inform your boss asap to avoid negative consequences for your job and future career.

How do I write an apology letter of absence due to illness?

Firstly, the letter aims to be a request for a leave of absence and must be sent as soon as possible. If you apply for a leave, you need to provide a valid reason. A sickness, such as Chickenpox, high fever, or contagious disease qualifies for a few days’ rest.

Secondly, the request letter functions as an apology letter, which is a nice gesture towards your boss that provides empathy for the days that you are missing. If the reason you apply for leave is decent, there is no reason for them to decline your request. Especially when it is related to personal matters, such as illness. When you miss work because you are sick, you should follow the procedures specified by your manager, or outlined by the human resources department and your employee handbook.

Typically, it is required to alert your boss by letter, email, or phone call. Whether it is required by company policy, or not, it is a good idea to put your absence excuse in writing. Since when you follow up in writing, they can easily document your letter. The easiest way is to send it by email since the content can be forwarded to your direct colleagues or project team so they are aware that you are unavailable, and they can anticipate your leave.

When writing an apology letter of absence, including the following:

Write in a neutral tone, and formal, this business correspondence might be saved in your file and it’s probably not only your boss that will receive it;
Follow the standard business letter format;
Provide the date when the letter is sent;
Start your letter with an appropriate salutation and address the letter to your boss;
In the body of the letter, provide main content;
Describe the reason: what kind of illness, very briefly it’s not necessary to go into all the details;
Estimate the date(s) of your absence; providing an estimate of the days you will need to recover, it doesn’t have to be 100% accurate, but providing an outlook will be helpful;
Consider setting up a phone call to discuss with your boss how to deal with important tasks in the coming work week;
Mention if you have any documentation;
Suggest how you will handle pending tasks;
Apologize at the end of the letter, it is not your fault you are sick, it can happen to everyone;
Be clear but concise. Then, end with a professional closing and your signature;
Include your contact information.

Understand Company Policy and Preferences

Even if it is not required for the first days to go to a doctor, for extended time off, which is considered to be more than 3 or 4 days due to sickness, most companies will also require a doctor's note. This is to confirm that you have a legitimate excuse for taking sick leave. When you return to work, you should then provide a formal absence excuse letter or email, along with any supporting documentation (doctor’s note, ER evaluation, etc.).

Working during sickness

If for whatever reason, duty calls and you must do some work when being sick, you need to consider if you are capable enough to do the job. If you have doubts about the results you produce, you best involve a colleague to proofread and or to take over.

Format excuse letter for work due to sickness:

Check out the instant sample absence excuse email example to use as a guide for when you miss work due to illness, or if you know you won't be able to come to work on the next day or beyond.

Remember, it can happen to the best of us, that you might even have to miss a day or two of work. Everyone gets sick now and then. This example apology letter for being absent due to sickness is a clear and polished sample letter free for you to download and is easily customized in Microsoft Word to meet your personal conditions. It will be received with thanks by your boss or manager since they can now easily document the absence.

There are several ways to apply for leave. Find some here:

Example Content

Select, copy, and paste the content below or use the button to instantly copy the template to your clipboard. From there you can easily paste the content in your e-mail or for example your Word or Google document.

Salutation: 
Dear {{Name Boss}},
Introduction:
I have been absent from the office for the last couple of days due to sickness. I could not write an application to you for my leave.
Body of sick leave letter:
However, I must tell you that such an act of negligence was not intentional at all. My illness took a heavy toll on my physical health due to which I remained unconscious in the hospital most of the time. With such a miserable health condition, I just forgot to write an application to you for leave due to {{my sickness}}. My family members along with me in the hospital were too worried about my health to inform you about the cause of my absence from the office. However, my health is fully recovered now.
That is why; I have resumed my official duties from today. But I regret not being able to send my leave application to you earlier; for which please accept my sincere apologies.  I am optimistic that such an act of negligence on my part will not repeat in the future.
Closing sick leave letter:
I shall be grateful to you for your kindness in this regard. Thank you so much for your valuable time and consideration.
Best Regards,
{{Your Name}}

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