A letter of intent to return to work is a formal letter sent by an employee to their employer after being absent from work for some time. This letter could announce your return from a bereavement, parental, sick, caring for a loved one, or other absence.
On this page, you will find out why such a notification is important, the essential steps to take when preparing such a letter and share a template when you're ready to return to work.
A letter of intent to return to work is important for several reasons, mainly because of your relationship with your manager and the policies established within your organization. In this way, your manager will be aware of the following:
Writing a return-to-work letter or email should not be complicated. You should follow the general guidelines of a formal business letter or letter of intent. You will cover the essentials. Still, if you want some step-by-step suggestions on how to craft yours like a pro or what elements you should not miss, we provide you these insights below:
In the following lines, we will go through the steps you will need to consider when writing
Reflect on what you want to convey, the date when you wish to return, and any additional information.
Address the recipient with a formal salutation, such as "Dear [team manager]" or Dear [HR manager]
Introduce your intent, stating details of your leave and the return date. Such an overview will remind the manager about your absence and inform them about your return to work.
You should be a professional when writing such a letter. The following paragraph should begin with a thank you for granting the leave. You can also highlight how your absence enabled you to recover from the illness, care for the new baby, or otherwise.
Let your manager know if you will return to work full-time or need a progressive transition toward being fully operational. This might include wanting to work part-time, remotely, or as your medical doctor prescribed.
Note that you should enclose medical letters confirming that you're ok to return to work if that's why you are absent.
To show gratitude and appreciation for the support, thank your manager or HR representative for help and flexibility.
In your return-to-work letter, mention specific steps you want to take to guarantee a seamless transition back to work and your previous performance levels. For example, you may state that you have communicated with your secretary and that they have forwarded over meeting notes to assist you in catching up.
[Date]
Dear [Manager name],
Hope you're having a great time at work.
As you know, I was on medical leave starting from [date] till [date]. I'm writing this letter to inform you that I am ready to join [return date] again.
Once again, thank you for your fortitude and consideration throughout my compelling health problems. I'm privileged to be hired by a corporation such as ours, and I look forward to returning to work.
In this respect, I want to continue working on a date that you deem appropriate so that my rights arising from labor law are protected, and I request that the date of starting work be notified to me.
Many thanks,
[Sender's signature]
[Full name]
[Title]
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