Do you have a family or personal problem that requires you to change your work schedule?
You're in the right place. I have three template messages to help you request your employer to change your schedule. Two of them are letter examples and one is an email sample.
Here's how to do it.
Letter example 1:
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Letter Date]
[Employer's Name]
[Employer's Address]
Dear [Name of your manager or employer], I am writing you to request a change to my shift schedule from [current schedule] to [desired schedule]. I underwent knee reconstruction surgery and require daily physiotherapy at the local clinic from 9 to 11 a.m. I have annexed the medical documents supporting my request.
I have worked for [Employer's Name] for [X years] and I have always been an exemplary employee, with excellent performance reviews. I'm hopeful we can come to an agreement that is beneficial for both parties.
Yours sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your position/job title]
Letter example 2:
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Letter Date]
[Employer's Name]
[Employer's Address]
Dear [Name of your manager or employer], I am writing this letter to ask you for a change to my shift schedule from [current schedule] to [desired schedule]. I have twins who will start school at a schedule that is incompatible with my current work schedule. I need to be home to dress them and take them to school as I am a single mother. I have annexed a copy of my children's school schedule and a copy of their school application form.
Over the last [X years] I have worked for [Employer's Name] and have always done my work to the best of my abilities, often getting raises and good performance reviews from my manager. You can be assured the work will still get done with complete dedication on my part.
Yours sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your position/job title]
Email example:
To: business@email.com
Subject: Request to change schedule
Dear [Employer’s Name],
I'm [Your Name], a [Job Title] working on [Your Department/Team].
I would like to request a change to my schedule from [current schedule] to [desired schedule] for the next 3 months. As my mother passed away, I'm now responsible for taking care of my father until my sister moves from California. I've added my mother's certificate as well as a dependent certificate from social security.
I hope we can work together to make sure work quality and output will not be impacted by this request. I've been an employee for [X years] with good reviews, as my manager can attest.
Yours sincerely,
[Your Name]
Don't write a long letter or email. Keep your message short and to the point. Be objective. Managers and HR departments have a lot of work to do and will hold it against you for wasting their time with fluff.
Before you send a request, research what's your company's policy for schedule changes.
Check for official rules or ask your colleagues. The more information you have, the easier it gets to write your message.
You can even refer to official company policy when making your request.
It's tempting to criticize your company or threaten to leave if they don't accept your request. Don't do it.
They have the upper hand and unless you have a union contract they are not forced to accept your schedule change.
Writing to them in a friendly way can make the difference between having your request accepted or ignored.
Apologizing puts you in a position of submission and weakens your case. It makes it seem you're doing something wrong.
Be assertive when writing your request, but not arrogant. Friendly but not submissive.
When writing your request, don't make it one-sided. Make it seem like you have your company's interests at heart.
Offer alternatives and assure them the work is still going to get done on time.
Whether you have a medical, family, or personal problem, annex any supporting documents to make your case.
Third-party validation makes it less likely that your company will accuse you of trying to take advantage of them.
If you are writing a letter, send it through certified mail. Some companies don't accept request letters through normal mail. If in doubt, inform yourself about your company's policies.