How to ask for time off work to care for a family member
To ask for time off to care for a family member, first read your employee handbook and ask human resources which leave policies and state programs may apply. Then write a short request with the dates or schedule you need, how your work will be covered, and when you will check in. Keep copies of every form and email, and ask for decisions in writing.
Why it matters: Many caregivers quit before learning what leave or flexibility they could have asked for.
Steps
- Read the leave and flexibility sections of your employee handbook.
- Ask human resources which leave policies, and which federal or state programs, may apply to you.
- Ask what paperwork is needed, such as a form from the family member's doctor.
- Write a short request with dates or the schedule you need and how your work will be covered.
- Send it in writing and keep copies of every form and reply.
- Agree how and when you will check in while away.
Stop and call a professional if
- your request is denied, or you are penalized for asking: ask your state labor office or an employment attorney
Questions to ask the professional
- Which leave policies could apply to my situation?
- Is any of this leave paid, and what forms do you need?
Common mistakes
- Resigning before asking what leave exists.
- Making only verbal arrangements.
- Missing the deadline for medical paperwork.
Outside the US or in another state: Leave rights depend on federal law, your state and your employer's size; some states have paid family leave programs.
Teach this to someone
A one page sheet for showing a friend, a teenager or a parent: what to say, what to show, and one question to check it landed.
Teach: How to ask for time off work to care for a family member
What to say
To ask for time off to care for a family member, first read your employee handbook and ask human resources which leave policies and state programs may apply. Then write a short request with the dates or schedule you need, how your work will be covered, and when you will check in. Keep copies of every form and email, and ask for decisions in writing.
What to show
- Read the leave and flexibility sections of your employee handbook.
- Ask human resources which leave policies, and which federal or state programs, may apply to you.
- Ask what paperwork is needed, such as a form from the family member's doctor.
- Write a short request with dates or the schedule you need and how your work will be covered.
- Send it in writing and keep copies of every form and reply.
- Agree how and when you will check in while away.
Where it stops
Stop and call a professional if your request is denied, or you are penalized for asking: ask your state labor office or an employment attorney.
Check question
Who can tell you which leave policies may apply?
Answer: Human resources. HR knows the employer's policies and forms.
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Related skills
Sources
- US federal and state labor office guidance on family and medical leave, 2025. Reviewed September 28, 2026.
Written in our own words from the sources above. It is general information, not advice for your situation; where a professional, your doctor or your lease says something different, follow them.
Last reviewed . First published .