Home › What to say › My boss or employer
Pay advance or extra shifts: request email and text generator
Ask privately, name the exact amount and how it comes back out of your pay, and offer to put it in writing.
The full guide, with what to expect and what to do next: How to ask your boss for a pay advance.
Tips before you ask
- Check your handbook or HR portal first: many employers already offer pay advances or earned-wage access.
- Keep the reason short. Your manager needs the amount and the repayment date, not your whole story.
- An employer pay advance usually costs nothing. Compare that with a cash-advance app's fees.
Example: ask for a pay advance
A worked example in the warm tone. Fill in the form above to get your own, in the tone you choose.
What to say
Ask in private, at a calm moment. First check your employee handbook or HR portal: some employers have a pay-advance or earned-wage program already.
Do you have a minute? I'd like to ask about something personal.
I had to pay for an urgent car repair.
I was wondering whether I could get $300 of my pay early. It could come back out of my paycheck on Friday, November 13.
I'm happy to sign something so it's clear how it'll be paid back.
Thank you for considering it. It really would help.
If they say no
Ask for a pay advance
- Ask whether the company offers an earned-wage access benefit through payroll.
- Ask whether extra shifts are available this pay period.
- Ask whether the company has an employee assistance or hardship fund.
Ask for extra shifts
- Ask to be put on the call-in list for when someone cancels.
- Ask whether overtime will open up later in the month.
These are templates for general information, not legal or tax advice, and not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. You send every message yourself; we never contact anyone on your behalf.