PTO accrual calculator: how much paid time off has been earned
Pick the accrual policy (per hour worked, per paycheck or front-loaded), enter the start date, what was carried over and what was used, and read the balance in hours and days, today and projected to the end of the year.
PTO balance
- Accrued since the start date52.00 h
- Carried over+0.00 h
- Used-0.00 h
- Balance today52.00 h = 6.50 days
- Projected balance on December 31, at the same pace69.33 h
Estimate. The calculator applies the policy you enter; it does not know your state's paid sick leave law, your handbook's waiting period or your carryover rules. Per-hour accrual assumes the same hours every week.
How PTO accrual is calculated
- Per hour worked: PTO hours = hours worked × rate. At 1 hour per 30 hours worked, a full-time employee on 40 hours a week earns 1.33 hours of PTO a week, about 69 hours a year. The calculator uses the weekly hours you enter, every week from the start date.
- Per pay period: a fixed number of hours each paycheck. 80 hours a year on a biweekly payroll is 3.08 hours per paycheck (80 ÷ 26). Only completed pay periods count.
- Front-loaded: the full annual amount is credited at once. In the hire year, the calculator prorates it by the months left, hire month included; each following January it credits the full amount.
- Balance = carryover + accrued − used, never below zero, and never above the cap if your policy has one. The year-end projection continues at the same pace to December 31.
- There is no federal PTO requirement in the United States. Several states and cities require paid sick leave to accrue, most often 1 hour per 30 hours worked (California, New York State, among others) or 1 hour per 40 (Illinois). Vacation is whatever the employer offers.
Common PTO accrual rates, per week and per year
| Policy | Per week | Per year (8-hour days) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 hour per 30 hours worked, 40 h/week | 1.33 h | 69.3 h (8.7 days) |
| 1 hour per 30 hours worked, 25 h/week | 0.83 h | 43.3 h (5.4 days) |
| 1 hour per 40 hours worked, 40 h/week | 1.00 h | 52.0 h (6.5 days) |
| 3.08 h per biweekly paycheck | 1.54 h | 80.0 h (10 days) |
| 4.62 h per biweekly paycheck | 2.31 h | 120.0 h (15 days) |
Frequently asked questions
- How do you calculate PTO accrual per hour worked?
- Multiply hours worked by the accrual rate. At 1 hour of PTO per 30 hours worked, 40 hours a week earns 40 ÷ 30 = 1.33 hours of PTO a week, about 69.3 hours in a 52-week year. At 1 per 40, it is 1 hour a week, 52 a year.
- How many PTO hours is 80 hours a year per paycheck?
- Divide by the number of paychecks: 80 ÷ 26 = 3.08 hours per biweekly paycheck, 80 ÷ 24 = 3.33 semimonthly, 80 ÷ 12 = 6.67 monthly, 80 ÷ 52 = 1.54 weekly.
- What is the difference between accrued PTO and front-loaded PTO?
- Accrued PTO builds up gradually with hours worked or pay periods; front-loaded PTO is granted in full at the start of the year (or prorated in the hire year). Front-loading is simpler to explain; accrual limits the balance a new hire can take early.
- Is PTO accrual required by law in the US?
- Not at the federal level. A number of states and cities require paid sick leave to accrue, commonly 1 hour per 30 hours worked (California, New York State, and others) or 1 hour per 40 (Illinois), with annual caps. Vacation PTO is set by the employer.
- Do unused PTO hours carry over?
- It depends on the policy and the state. Some states require accrued sick leave to carry over up to a cap; a few states treat earned vacation as wages that cannot be forfeited. Enter last year's carryover in the calculator and set the cap your policy applies.
Hours worked feed the accrual: count them with the time card calculator. Leave requests land in the schedule: see leave and absence management in retail. Outside the US, statutory paid leave applies: paid leave calculator.
General information about accrual arithmetic, not legal advice. State paid sick leave rules change; check your state labor department.