PTO and Vacation Accrual Calculator
Employers grant paid time off in different ways: a number of hours each pay period, days per year or one hour for every so many hours worked. Enter yours to see what you earn and what your balance will be.
PTO accrual calculator
Work out how much paid time off you earn and what your balance will be.
PTO accrual calculator ·
Enter your numbers above and the result appears here.
How this was calculated
Three common accrual methods
- Hours per pay period. The handbook says, for example, 3.08 hours bi-weekly. Annual PTO = hours × number of pay periods.
- Days per year. 15 days × 8 hours = 120 hours a year, divided across your pay periods.
- Hours worked. “1 hour for every 30 hours worked” means a full-time employee at 2,080 hours earns 2,080 ÷ 30 = 69.3 hours a year. Part-time staff earn proportionally less.
Your employer's policy decides the method, the waiting period, whether PTO can roll over and whether it is paid out when you leave. The Department of Labor says the FLSA does not require payment for time not worked, such as vacations, sick leave or holidays, and leaves those benefits to employers and employees to decide. State laws vary on payout and sick leave, so check your state's labor department.
Worked examples
15 days a year, paid bi-weekly
15 × 8 = 120 hours a year. ÷ 26 pay periods = 4.62 hours per paycheck. After 13 pay periods (about 6 months) the balance is 60 hours, if none is used.
Same 120 hours, semi-monthly
120 ÷ 24 = 5.00 hours per paycheck. The yearly total is identical; only the size of each accrual changes.
A balance cap
Accrual of 4 hours per bi-weekly period with an 80-hour cap and no PTO used reaches the cap after 20 pay periods. For the remaining 6 periods of a 26-period year, 24 hours of accrual are lost to the cap. Use the cap box above to see how much you would lose and plan time off before you hit it.
Planning tips
- Check how your employer treats the accrual at the moment you hit the cap: some stop accruing, some pay out.
- Use the planned PTO box to see the balance after you take trips during the year.
- If your PTO is a lump sum on January 1 rather than accrued, enter it as the starting balance and set accrual to 0.
- Combine this with the work schedule planner to map days off.
Frequently used accrual rates
| Policy | Hours per year | Per bi-weekly period | Per semi-monthly period |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 days (8 h) | 80 | 3.08 | 3.33 |
| 15 days (8 h) | 120 | 4.62 | 5.00 |
| 20 days (8 h) | 160 | 6.15 | 6.67 |
| 25 days (8 h) | 200 | 7.69 | 8.33 |
These are straight arithmetic: annual hours divided by 26 or 24. Your employer's handbook states the actual rate. Some employers accrue by hours worked, which gives different amounts for part-time employees: for example 1 hour for every 30 hours worked gives a 20-hour-a-week employee about 34.7 hours a year.
Accrual vs front-loaded PTO
Accrual means you earn PTO gradually as you work: the balance builds up each pay period. Front-loaded means you receive the full annual amount at the beginning of the year (or on your anniversary). With accrual, a new employee may have little PTO available in the first months; with front-loading, the full amount is available immediately, and policies for unused time and for leaving the company usually differ. Whatever the type, use the starting balance and cap boxes to model your own year.
PTO planning example
15 days a year, bi-weekly, wants a 10-day trip in August
Accrual is 4.62 hours per bi-weekly check. By the check dated August 15 (pay period 17, assuming the first check is January 3) the balance is about 17 × 4.62 = 78.5 hours, or 9.8 days, if none has been used. That is just short of a 10-day trip (80 hours), so waiting one more pay period (83.1 hours) gets there. Enter your own accrual in the calculator to find your date.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate PTO accrual per pay period?
Divide annual PTO hours by the number of pay periods. 120 hours a year over 26 bi-weekly periods is 4.62 hours each.
How much PTO is 15 days?
At 8 hours a day, 15 days is 120 hours.
Do part-time employees accrue PTO?
Only if the employer's policy provides it. Accrual based on hours worked automatically scales with hours.
Are employers required to provide PTO?
The Department of Labor says the FLSA does not require payment for time not worked, such as vacations, sick leave or holidays. State or local laws may add requirements, so check your state labor department.
What is a PTO cap?
A limit on the balance you can hold. Once reached, accrual stops until you use time.
Sources and last checked
Last checked: . Rules change; confirm with the linked agency before relying on a figure. This is general information, not legal or payroll advice - see our disclaimer.