Maternity Leave Out of Office Message Templates

Out of office auto-reply templates for maternity leave, from short notes to detailed handovers with a covering contact. Use the variants as-is, edit the placeholders, or download the editable Word doc.

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Editable Word .docx

Length

6 variants · copy-paste

Price

100% free

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Short and simple maternity note

Message

Hello, and thank you for your email. I am currently on maternity leave and away from work until return date. I will not be checking messages while I am away. For anything that needs attention before I return, please reach out to contact name at contact email, who can help you. I will read and reply to your note once I am back at my desk. Thank you so much for your understanding and patience. Warm regards, your name.

Shorter version

Thank you for your email. I am on maternity leave until return date and not checking messages. For urgent matters, please contact contact name at contact email. I will reply when I return.

Personalize

Set return date to your real first day back so expectations stay accurate.
Keep the tone friendly and brief; you do not owe anyone extra detail.

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6 ready-to-use variants

1. Short and simple maternity note 2. Detailed note with return date 3. With an alternate contact 4. Client-facing handover 5. Internal team note 6. Extended leave with delegation

Short and simple maternity note

When to use: Use this when you prefer to keep things brief and simply redirect people while you are away.

Message

Shorter version

Thank you for your email. I am on maternity leave until return date and not checking messages. For urgent matters, please contact contact name at contact email. I will reply when I return.

Personalize

Set return date to your real first day back so expectations stay accurate.
Keep the tone friendly and brief; you do not owe anyone extra detail.

Detailed note with return date

When to use: Use this when senders benefit from knowing who is covering and on which team.

Message

Hello, thank you for reaching out. I am currently on maternity leave and will be away from the office until return date. During this period I will not be monitoring my inbox, and any messages I receive will be answered after I return. If your request cannot wait, please contact contact name at contact email, who is looking after my responsibilities on the team name. I appreciate your patience and will follow up with you as soon as I am settled back at work. Kind regards, your name.

Shorter version

I am on maternity leave until return date and not checking email. For anything urgent, please contact contact name at contact email on the team name. I will respond once I return.

Personalize

Add a buffer day to return date so your first day back is not spent on backlog alone.
Name the team name clearly so senders know they are reaching the right group.

With an alternate contact

When to use: Use this when your work splits naturally between two people while you are away.

Message

Thank you for your email. I am on maternity leave and away from work until return date, with no access to my inbox during this time. To keep things moving, please direct your message to the right person below. For account and project questions, contact contact name at contact email. For anything else, second contact name at second contact email will be glad to help. I will review my inbox and reply to outstanding items once I am back. Thank you for understanding, and I look forward to reconnecting soon. Best wishes, your name.

Shorter version

I am on maternity leave until return date. For account matters, contact contact name at contact email; for everything else, second contact name at second contact email. I will reply when I return.

Personalize

Split contacts by topic so senders reach the person who can actually help them.
Confirm both contact name and second contact name have agreed to cover before you go.

Client-facing handover

When to use: Use this when your audience is external and values continuity and a warm tone.

Message

Hello, and thank you for getting in touch with company name. I am currently on maternity leave and will be away until return date. Your work remains important to us, and it is in good hands while I am out. Please reach out to my colleague contact name at contact email, who is fully briefed on your account and can help with anything you need in the meantime. I will personally follow up with you once I am back to make sure everything is on track. Thank you for your continued trust and partnership. Warm regards, your name.

Shorter version

Thank you for contacting company name. I am on maternity leave until return date. In the meantime, contact name at contact email is briefed on your account and ready to help. I will follow up when I return.

Personalize

Reassure clients their work continues smoothly without overpromising your own availability.
Make sure contact name truly knows the account before you point clients their way.

Internal team note

When to use: Use this when your audience is your own team and needs practical detail.

Message

Hi team, thanks for your message. I am now on maternity leave and will be offline until return date. While I am away, contact name at contact email is covering my day-to-day work and can make decisions in my absence. For anything at the planning or approval level, please loop in manager name. I will not be checking Slack or email, so please do not wait on me for sign-off. I will catch up on everything once I am back and settled. Thanks for holding things down while I am out. See you soon, your name.

Shorter version

I am on maternity leave until return date and fully offline. contact name at contact email is covering my work; escalate approvals to manager name. I will catch up when I return.

Personalize

Tell colleagues plainly not to wait on you so nothing stalls in your absence.
Point approvals to manager name so decisions do not pile up until you return.

Extended leave with delegation

When to use: Use this when one contact is not enough to cover an extended absence.

Message

Hello, and thank you for your email. I am on an extended maternity leave and will be away from work until return date. During this time my responsibilities have been shared across the team so nothing is left waiting. For day-to-day questions, please contact contact name at contact email. For matters relating to project name, manager name will be the right person to help. I will not be reachable while I am away, and I will pick up my inbox gradually once I return. Thank you for your understanding and for working with my colleagues in the meantime. Warm regards, your name.

Shorter version

I am on extended maternity leave until return date. For daily matters, contact contact name at contact email; for project name, reach manager name. I will catch up gradually when I return.

Personalize

Divide coverage by topic so no single colleague carries your whole workload.
Give yourself a gradual return so a long leave does not end in a stressful first week.

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How to use this template

1
Pick the closest variant. Choose based on the situation, not only the channel.
2
Replace every placeholder. If you cannot fill a field, ask one clarifying question first.
3
Save the final version into sem.chat, your CRM, or your help desk so the team stays consistent.
4
Review results weekly. Drop variants that create confusion and improve the ones that work.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use these templates commercially?

Yes. Copy, edit, and use them in your business, client work, CRM, help desk, or sem.chat workspace.

Why are there six variants?

One generic template rarely fits every situation. Six variants give your team practical choices without a messy library.

Should I paste these into sem.chat?

Yes. Save the best variants as canned replies, knowledge base entries, routing rules, or CRM notes so your AI agent and team stay consistent.

How much detail should a maternity leave out of office include?

Keep it simple: your leave, your return date, and a covering contact. You are not obligated to share personal or medical details, so a warm and brief note is perfectly professional.

Should I give an exact return date?

Give your best estimate and add a buffer day if you can. If your plans are uncertain, you can say you will be away until further notice and update the message later.

Who should I list as my covering contact?

Choose someone who has agreed to cover, understands your key work, and can either help directly or route requests. Confirm with them before your leave begins.

Do I need different messages for clients and colleagues?

It helps. Clients appreciate reassurance that their work continues, while colleagues need practical detail on coverage and approvals. Tailoring the tone makes each audience feel looked after.

Can I say I will not be checking email at all?

Yes, and it is often healthier to say so plainly. Setting that expectation protects your leave and prevents senders from waiting on a reply that will not come.