Absence Excuse Letter for Meeting | Word & Excel Templates

An excuse letter is written by an employee to the employer either to inform the employer about the reason for absence during a certain time or to notify them about the absence likely to occur shortly. These letters are written for different reasons, such as emergencies, personal commitments, sickness, or any important occasion.

Excuse letters are important for recording an employee’s reason for absence. By writing an excuse letter, the employee portrays professional conduct, which builds trust and helps find an alternate solution to get the work done that could have been missed or piled up due to the employee’s absence.

However, in some cases, an employee may take leave without informing his/her supervisor due to an unforeseen incident. In that particular case, an excuse letter explaining the reason for the absence and the expected date of return needs to be sent to the employer.

Meetings are an essential component of the workplace. Some meetings are scheduled, while others are urgently called to share updates or provide a way forward for a project. Therefore, there are times when the employee is aware of a meeting and can plan well in advance when an excuse letter should be shared.

Still, if the employee has already taken a day off or checked out of the office without informing the employer, if a meeting gets called, then the employee must write an excuse to state the reason for absence and apologize for the inconvenience it might have caused.

Below are a few tips for writing an effective absence excuse letter for a meeting:

Be informed about the company and when the excuse should be communicated. It means being aware of the communication channel that needs to be used (phone call, email, or a written letter) and how early it should be communicated.
Avoid writing a comprehensive letter. Keep the letter body to the point by mentioning the absence date, duration (if any), and reason for absence.
Keep it formal and write in business letter format (with a left-aligned text body that is brief and to the point).
Highlight how you will make up or have made up for the discussion points of the meeting.

Sample Absence Excuse Letter for Meeting (Before absence)

Date
Name of Addressee and designation
Address

Dear Mr./Ms. [X]

I am writing this letter because I will not be available for the meeting on [DATE]. My sister is getting married, so I have to make arrangements. I have already applied for annual leave, but the process will take two more days to complete. The leaves, however, have been approved by my supervisor and department head but will reach administration by tomorrow.

If needed, I can be contacted on my cell number. I have briefed Mr./Ms. [X] on project updates that will be shared in the coming meeting on my behalf.

Please let me know if you need further information or want me to share details concerning the scheduled meeting.

If you decide to reschedule the meeting, kindly notify me. I appreciate your consideration.

Sincerely,

File: Word (.docx) 2007+ and iPad Size 17 Kb | Download

Sample Absence Excuse Letter for Meeting (After Absence)

Date
Name of Addressee and designation
Address

Dear Mr./Ms. [X]

I am writing to inform you about my sudden absence from the meeting. Just before the meeting, I received a call that my mother was being taken to the hospital, and I had to leave the office in a rush.

I am aware of the inconvenience my absence has caused. Mr./Ms. [X] has briefed me on the meeting minutes and discussed the tasks I must complete.

Please let me know if you need any further information. I appreciate your understanding.

Sincerely,

File: Word (.docx) 2007+ and iPad Size 16 Kb | Download