Maternity Leave Extension Request Letter for Teachers

Maternity leave is granted to all pregnant employees when they are in the last trimester and it becomes difficult for them to carry out their day-to-day responsibilities with pregnancy. This leave is usually paid so that a woman can survive despite being on leave.

Most females work as teachers and maternity leaves also come from teachers most of the time. The educational institute tries to accommodate them by letting them go on leave when they are close to their delivery. They assign them a specific date on which they are supposed to return to work and resume their job role. The institute hires a substitute teacher for this time period and teachers have to show their commitment to the school and return to work on the said date.

What is a maternity leave extension letter?

It is a formal request letter that a teacher writes to the head of the school to formally ask them to provide them some extension in their maternity leave. This is a tough step to be taken by a teacher. However, it is sometimes mandatory especially when the health of a female is at stake. The institute is also supposed to understand this situation and can accept or reject the request depending on its internal circumstances.

What are the main parts of the extension request letter?

When you want to write a letter that requires you to ask for something, you always think of making it persuasive for the reader. For this purpose, there are a few parts that you should never skip in this request letter. These parts are:

A formal request:

This letter must include a section in which you request the in charge of the school for providing the teacher with an extension in the leave due to pregnancy. This letter should also discuss the details of the leave that was previously granted by the institute such as the date on which the leave was granted and the date on which it is supposed to end.

Although the reader already has these details in this record, when you write them, you make it easy for them to understand what you are trying to say.

A reason for the extension request:

Another important part of this letter is the reason for asking for an extension in maternity leave. The reason can be your issues in the family, your health issues, or anything that has an impact on your life and making it impossible for you to return to work on the said date. When you provide a reason and it makes sense to the reader, they start to understand your problem and are more likely to extend your maternity leave.

Apologizing for causing inconvenience:

It is important to let the reader know that you understand what impact will your absence have on your students and that you should have returned to work on the date on which the leave duration is ending.

Then, also show your understanding of the disturbance you may have caused in the staff due to your extended absence from work. Then, apologize for causing inconvenience at the workplace. With this, the head of the school will understand that you know that your presence is important and that you take your job seriously.

Offer of assistance:

You should offer your assistance to the employer in the transition process to show your concern for the work even when you are not working.

Thank you statement:

In the closing section of the letter, say thank you to the reader for previously allowing you to go on leave and then express your expectation that they will understand what you are going through and they will try to help you. Also, say thank you in advance for accepting the extension request and then close the letter with your name and signatures.

When to ask for an extension?

Make sure that you write this letter a considerable time before the date on which the leave is ending. This will allow the employer to take his time in arranging the substitute teacher or extending the work period of the current substitute teacher.

Letter (Short format)

The Principal,

Dear Madam,

I am (state your position in school) for class (state class). I have been blessed with a baby and this is the start of a new beginning for me. I faced some complications during the delivery and so the doctor advised me to take bed rest for (tell a number of days). I am requesting that you please extend my maternity leave for (give a number of days). I will be thankful.

Regards,

Your Name

Letter (Detailed format)

Re. Maternity Leave Extension Letter

Dear [Name],

I hope you find this letter in the best of your spirits. I am writing to formally request an extension in my maternity leave as per the senior teachers’ policy of the school in the authorization of medical and maternity leave rules. I have been teaching at [Name of School] for [X] years and have been authorized as a senior teacher. I have been on maternity leave since [start date] and as you must know, my prior requested leave was due on [end date]. However, I would like to extend my leave by [weeks/months] due to unforeseen circumstances related to my family and personal health.

The purpose of this request is to ensure that I can recover well after the birth, take care of my newborn and return to work smoothly which is important not only for myself but for the students as well. I believe that when I return to the classroom, this extra time taken to completely recover and heal will allow me to keep a balance between meeting the needs of my work in a better way and fulfilling my responsibilities as a parent.

I am committed to minimizing the disruption to student’s education and school work during my absence. I am willing to work with you to provide any necessary tools or materials to help the substitute teacher and to maintain the continuity of classroom teaching to ensure disruption-free learning. In addition, I am open to your suggestions regarding the coverage of my courses during this period.

Please let me know of any special procedures or forms I need to submit to complete this extension request. I will be happy to provide all necessary additional documents if required.

I really appreciate your understanding and help in this matter. I will inform you of my return to work if it comes earlier than the aforementioned schedule of return. I am trying my level best to return to my teaching duties as soon as possible. I understand that my absence for such a long time would have caused a lot of inconvenience for the school management and students.

I am greatly thankful to you for your kindness and support during this period of my life. Thank you for your kind messages, emails, and assurance of full cooperation.

Warmly.

Maternity Leave Extension Letter for Teachers

Sample letter file size: 75 Kb

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