How to Write a Resignation Letter Due to Health Issues

 How to Write a Resignation Letter Due to Health Issues (with Sample)
​Use this sample resignation letter due to health issues as a template for your formal resignation letter.

“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade” is a popular bit of advice for dealing with curveballs in life, but for those who are experiencing health issues, a letter of resignation may be in order. The question becomes, what do you write when you are resigning due to an illness?

​First Step

​The first step is realizing that you may not need to mention your health as the reason for leaving at all. However, if you’ve had a decrease in productivity or an increase in missed days in the months prior to your resignation, it is a good idea to explain the reason for this trend in your letter so that you can preserve a great recommendation for the future.
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he level of health information that you disclose should be balanced between an acceptable explanation and your confidentiality, since more likely multiple people will be reading your letter. It is a good idea to provide further information to your boss in person if you are on good terms with them.

Second Step
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​The second step is deciding when to turn your resignation letter in. Giving two weeks of notice is a common courtesy followed by many employees, but is not actually a law since most companies in the US follow an at-will policy. Therefore, a good reason to avoid giving your employer a warning is if you have noticed a trend of negative reactions to other resignations in your workplace or if the state of your health requires you to resign immediately.

​There are exceptions to this. If your employee contract includes a clause that requires you to warn the company of your resignation a specific amount of days ahead, your company is legally obligated to pay you for that period. Also, if your employee benefits are negatively affected by your immediate resignation, it is a good idea to give advance notice.

Next Step

​The next step is deciding the format to use for your letter. Both email and business mail are considered acceptable, so choose the format that you are most comfortable with. It is important to note that for immediate resignations, email is the easier and faster option.

The format for and email letter of resignation is as follows:
Subject: [Your Full Name]-Resignation Notice
Salutations,
Paragraph 1: Contains a full statement outlining your intent to resign and when.
Paragraph 2: Used to provide a brief explanation for your resignation.

Paragraph 3: Any closing statement you wish to make, plus a thank you to the company.
Sincerely, [Your Full Name]
[Electronic Signature]
[Email]
[Phone Number]

The format or a physical letter of resignation is:
[Your Name]
[Your Full Address]
[Your Phone Number]
[Your Email]

[Date]

[Company Name]
[Title of Addressee]
[Organization]
[Full Company Address]

[Salutations]
Paragraph 1: Statement of resignation and when
Paragraph 2: Explanation for resignation
Paragraph 3: Closing statement and a thank you.

Sincerely,
[Your Signature]
[Your Full Name]
[Your Job Title]

In both email and business letter form, using “To whom it may concern” is acceptable in lieu of a salutation when the name of addressee is not known, or when you are mailing the letter to a department within the company instead of a specific person.

​Additionally, it is convention to use 12 pt. Times New Roman/Century font with single space, only using double space between paragraphs. The following is an example of the three paragraphs included in the main body of either an email or business mail resignation letter;

​Sample Resignation Letter Due to Health Issues

[Salutations]
​
It is with great regret that I must inform you that in two weeks’ time I am resigning from the position of Art Department Director. I understand that my departure will cause a disruption, and I will do everything in my power to facilitate the smooth transition of duties to my replacement.

My decision to resign is not due to any shortcomings from this company, but to a recent diagnosis of a severe health problem. I was advised by my physician to cease working as soon as possible. With much consideration, I must agree with my doctor’s recommendation, because I cannot function at the typical level that I have no doubt you have come to expect, and focus on my health at the same time.


While working here, the support and encouragement I have received and the connections I have made, both professional and personal, have been invaluable. I will miss the challenging nature of my work and the enjoyable atmosphere and coworkers. I will always be grateful.

Conclusion

To summarize, the key things to focus on when resigning due to poor health are whether your relationship with your boss and coworkers warrants an explanation for your resignation, when to turn in your letter to maximize benefits and pay, and how to format the letter itself.

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