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Meaning & use

personal leave

noun·Academic

Last updated

UK/ˌpɜːsənəl ˈliːv/
US/ˌpɝːsənəl ˈliv/

Meanings

  1. noununcountable

    Time away from work that an employee is allowed to take for private reasons, such as family matters, rather than for illness or a holiday.

    Grammar: Usually uncountable: she took personal leave. A single period can be 'a personal leave' in formal writing.

    Patterns

    • take personal leave
    • be on personal leave
    • request personal leave from something

    Dana asked her manager for two days of personal leave to help her parents move house.

    He is on personal leave this week, so please send urgent questions to his deputy.

    Our company offers five days of paid personal leave each year.

  2. nouncountable or uncountableformal

    An extended, often unpaid, absence from a job that is arranged for reasons like study, travel or rest and is not tied to medical need.

    Grammar: Often 'a personal leave of absence': it can be counted when it describes one particular absence.

    Patterns

    • a personal leave of absence
    • go on personal leave

    After ten years with the firm, she negotiated a three-month personal leave to write a book.

    The coach announced a personal leave to deal with a family situation and will return in spring.

Common combinations

take personal leave
I need to take personal leave on Friday to attend a court hearing.
request personal leave
You must request personal leave in writing at least a week ahead.
paid personal leave
Part-time staff also receive paid personal leave under the new contract.
unpaid personal leave
He chose unpaid personal leave so he could care for his newborn twins.
on personal leave
The senator is on personal leave and will miss tonight's vote.

Synonyms and how they differ

time off
Time off is the everyday phrase for any absence from work, while personal leave sounds like an official category in a policy.
leave of absence
A leave of absence usually suggests a longer, formally approved break, whereas personal leave can be just a day or two.
compassionate leave
Compassionate leave is narrower, covering bereavement or a serious family crisis, while personal leave can cover many private reasons.

Opposites

sick leave

Word family

leave noun
permission or time to be away from work
personal day noun
a single day off for private matters, common in American workplaces
personally adverb
in a way that concerns oneself
sick leave noun
time off because of illness

Commonly confused: personal leave or sick leave?

personal leave vs sick leave

Sick leave is for illness or injury. Personal leave is for private reasons that are not medical.

Practice

Marta is not ill, but she needs two days off to move into a new apartment. Which kind of absence is the best fit?

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