Letter of Consideration for being Absent from Work

A letter of consideration for being absent can be written by an employee himself or his/her colleague, a supervisor, etc., and is addressed to the employer or the concerned authority. In this letter, the writer tries to reinforce the information so that the employee’s absence gets justified in the eyes of the employer and any serious actions that may be taken against the employee can be avoided.

Usually, if an employee is absent and provides an explanation, the employer understands the situation. However, if the employee is absent on some important day, like a project delivery day, the employer might get agitated, even to the extent of firing the employee. If the employee had a valid reason and his absence is justified, he writes a letter of consideration for being absent or asks any colleague or friend, who knows about or is a witness to the emergency situation, to write a letter to the employer and support the employee’s reason behind the absence.

When a third party is asking the employer to consider the employee’s situation, the employer might give it a second thought and avoid taking a drastic step against the employee. However, the letter of consideration should be sent to the employer well in time and before any implemented decisions. It should be written in a very professional, formal, comprehensive and polite way.

This letter can be written from scratch or by customizing a template from the online sources or programs, such as Microsoft Word. The general details included are:

  • Date.
  • Details of the employee.
  • Details of the employer/recipient.
  • Details of the writer of the letter, if applicable.
  • Relationship/acquaintance with the employee.
  • Reason of the absence.
  • Supporting arguments.
  • Request for the avoidance of any serious decisions on the part of the employer.
  • Signature.

A letter of consideration is different from an excuse letter for absence. In the latter one, the employee provides an explanation of his absence, while in the former one, a reinforcement or support of the reasons behind the employee’s absence is made by the employee himself or any relevant party.

Sample Letter

To:

[Person’s Name]
Senior Manager, Human Resources
XYZ Company.

Dated: September 28, 2019

Subject: Apology for Consecutive Absences

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to convey my deepest regret and apologize for being away from the office for four straight days; from September 17, 2019 (Tuesday) till September 20, 2019 (Friday). It was an unplanned absence and I had no intention of doing so at this critical time of the year.

However, as luck would have it, I woke up on the morning of September 17, 2019, with a severe headache. As I got out of bed to get ready for work, I started feeling very weak and dizzy. I ignored it at first, thinking that a quick shower would do away with the grogginess and bring back the usual agility. But that wasn’t the case.

At some point, I collapsed on my bedroom floor and had to be taken to the hospital where I stayed under observation for two days. That is why I could not inform my colleagues in time and regret all the inconvenience caused. I understand a significant work backlog has been created because of this sudden absence and rest assured that I started clearing it the moment I returned.

If need be, I will also be working overtime and through the coming weekend to get everything back to normal. Once again, all inconvenience caused to the company because of my absence is deeply regretted. I hope you will accept my apology.

Yours Sincerely,

[Signature]
[Name]
[Designation]


File: Word (.docx) 2007+ and iPad Size 21 Kb | Download


Apology for Absence from Work Without Prior Intimation

To:

[Person’s Name]
Head of Human Resources,
ABC Company.

Dated: September 12, 2019

Subject: Apology for Absence from Work Without Prior Intimation

Dear Sir/Madam,

This is to apologize for being absent from work on September 10, 2019 (Tuesday) without first informing my superiors or putting forward a leave request. On the morning of the mentioned date, I woke up with a severe headache and extreme dizziness. At first, I ignored it believing that a lack of sleep was the main cause. However, as I started getting ready for work, I felt a strong whirling sensation within my head and slipped.

My wife helped me up and I lay on the bed for a while intending to catch my bearings. But the next thing I remember is falling asleep for quite a few hours. By the time I woke up, it was well past midday. So, I called my supervisor Mr./Ms. [Name] to inform him/her about what had happened that morning.  

I understand and regret the inconvenience that was caused by this sudden absence of mine. The work that was left pending has been taken care of during the past two days. I assure you that I will be more careful when it comes to timely informing the concerned folks about any potential days off in the future.

Once again, I regret the convenience caused and hope that this apology will be given due consideration.   

Yours Sincerely,

[Signature]
[Name]
[Designation]    


File: Word (.docx) 2007+ and iPad Size 22 Kb | Download