Work From Home Request Letter Format and Sample

A work from home request letter asks the reporting manager to let the employee work remotely for specific days or a short period, such as while caring for a sick parent, during a home shift or while recovering from a minor injury. A good request shows that the work will carry on: the dates, working hours, how the employee can be reached, which tasks can be done from home and which cannot, and how company data will be kept safe.

When to use it: Send it as early as possible, and within the notice the WFH policy sets, before the first day at home. Send it to your reporting manager, and copy HR if the policy requires. For long periods or a permanent change to hybrid work, HR and the department head also approve.

Work from home request letter template

Copy the text below and replace everything in square brackets with your company details.

From
[Employee Name]
[Designation], [Department]
Employee ID: [Employee ID]

Date: [Date]
Ref: Work from home request for [Start Date] to [End Date]

To
[Reporting Manager Name]
[Manager Designation]
[Company Name]
[Office Address]

Subject: Request to work from home from [Start Date] to [End Date]

Dear [Manager Name],

I request permission to work from home for [Number] working days, from [Start Date] to [End Date], because [reason, for example: my father has been discharged after surgery and needs someone at home for the first week / our society is shutting water and power supply to our wing for repairs during the day, and I will work from my sister's home in the same city].

During this period I will work my usual hours, [Start Time] to [End Time], and will be available on [Mobile Number], email and [Messaging or Video Tool]. I will join the daily [Meeting Name] at [Time] by video.

Tasks I will complete from home: [for example: supplier follow-ups, report preparation and invoice checks].
Tasks that need someone in the office: [for example: physical file handovers], which [Colleague Name] has agreed to handle.
I have a stable internet connection and will use only the company laptop and VPN for work files.

I will mark attendance as per the company's work from home process and share an end-of-day update with you each day. If an urgent need arises for me to come to the office, I will make arrangements to do so.

I would be grateful if you could approve this request.

Regards,

[Employee Name]
[Designation]
Signature: ____________

For manager use

Work from home [approved / approved for fewer days: Dates / not approved].
Reporting Manager: [Manager Name], Signature: ____________, Date: ____________

What to include

Specific dates and reason

Ask for named days, not an open-ended arrangement. A clear reason and end date make approval easier and keep the request within the monthly WFH limit that many policies set.

Hours and availability

State the working hours and how the employee can be reached. Managers approve WFH more readily when they know calls, meetings and messages will be answered as usual.

What can and cannot be done remotely

Listing tasks that need someone in the office, and who will cover them, shows the employee has thought about the team. It also prevents surprises such as an unsigned cheque or an unattended audit.

Data security

Promise to use only the company laptop and approved connections. Client and employee data on personal devices is the main risk of remote work, and a single line sets expectations.

Attendance while at home

The request should say how attendance will be marked for WFH days, so payroll does not treat them as absence. Follow the company's WFH attendance process.

Common mistakes to avoid

Asking for WFH on the morning itself without a genuine emergency.
Requesting an open-ended arrangement with no end date.
Working from home on a personal laptop with client files.
Not marking WFH days, so the attendance system shows absence.
Being unreachable during working hours after WFH is approved.

Run it in ZeniaHR

In ZeniaHR the employee raises a work from home request in My Self-Service, on the web or mobile app. The reporting manager approves it first and HR next, and the company's Work terms policy can cap WFH days per month and set each person's default work model, such as office, hybrid with office days or work from home. Approved WFH days feed attendance, so they are not counted as absence in payroll.

Attendance Policy settings

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Frequently asked questions

How do I write a work from home request to my manager?

State the dates and number of days, a short reason, your working hours and how you can be reached. List which tasks you will do from home and who will handle office-only tasks. Mention that you will use the company laptop and mark attendance as the WFH process requires.

Can a manager refuse a work from home request?

Yes, unless the employee's contract or the company's policy gives a right to remote work. Work from home is usually a permission, granted when the role and the team's needs allow it. A refusal should give a reason and, where possible, an alternative such as fewer days or leave.

Is work from home counted as a working day?

An approved work from home day is a working day and is paid as usual. It should be marked in the attendance system through the WFH process so that payroll counts it. An unapproved absence at home is not a WFH day.