PTO accrual calculator
Type how your employer gives you paid time off and see the hours you earn each pay period and each year, your balance later on, and how long until you reach the hours you want. It is plain arithmetic on your own numbers; no law is applied.
Paid time off you earn in a year
104 hours
- Earned each pay period
- 4 h
- Balance after 10 periods
- 56 h
- That balance in days
- 7
- Reach 40 hours in
- 6 periods
A year has 26 every two weeks pay periods. Hours per period = hours per year ÷ 26. The numbers are your employer’s policy, typed by you: no law sets them.
Leave empty if your policy has none.
To turn hours into days.
Information, not legal advice. Your employer’s policy, your contract and your state or province can differ from the rule shown. Confirm dates with your employer and the official body.
Worked example: 120 hours of PTO a year
A plan that gives 120 hours a year is split over the pay periods of the year. The same 120 hours become a different amount per paycheck depending on how often you are paid, but the year total never changes.
At 8 hours a day, 120 hours is 15 days. To reach 40 hours (one working week) at 4.62 hours a pay period, you need 9 two-week periods, because 8 periods give 36.9 hours and 9 give 41.5.
| Paid | Periods a year | Hours per period | Periods to 40 hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly | 52 | 2.31 | 18 |
| Every two weeks | 26 | 4.62 | 9 |
| Twice a month | 24 | 5 | 8 |
| Monthly | 12 | 10 | 4 |
How do I calculate PTO accrual per pay period?
Divide the hours you earn in a year by the number of pay periods in a year. With 120 hours a year, a weekly payroll (52 periods) gives 2.31 hours, every two weeks (26) gives 4.62, twice a month (24) gives 5 and monthly (12) gives 10. If your plan states hours per pay period instead, multiply by the periods to get the year.
How do I turn PTO hours into days?
Divide the hours by the length of your working day. 120 hours is 15 days of 8 hours, or 16 days of 7.5 hours. Use the hours in your own day, because a shorter day makes the same hours last more days.
How does earning one hour for every 30 hours worked add up?
Multiply your weekly hours by 52 and divide by 30. At 40 hours a week that is 2,080 hours worked in a year and 69.33 hours earned, or 2.67 hours per two-week pay period. This is a plan formula some employers use; the rate comes from your handbook, not from this site.
Does the law say how much PTO my employer must give me?
In the United States, the Department of Labor says the Fair Labor Standards Act does not require payment for time not worked, such as vacations, sick leave or federal or other holidays, and that these benefits are matters of agreement between an employer and an employee. State and local rules may differ and are not confirmed here, so the rate you type is your policy’s, not a legal minimum.
What happens when my balance reaches the cap?
Many policies stop adding hours once the balance reaches a cap. The calculator does the same: it adds your hours each period until the cap, stops there, and never takes hours away if you are already over it. Whether your employer pays out or forfeits hours is a policy question this tool does not model.
Questions about pto accrual
What does PTO mean?
Paid time off. Some employers put vacation, sick days and personal days in one bank of hours; others keep them separate. Use the calculator once for each bank.
Does PTO keep accruing while I am on unpaid leave?
It depends on the policy of your employer, and we did not find an official page that answers it for every case, so it is not confirmed here. Ask your HR team.
Will I be paid for unused PTO when I leave?
That depends on your employer’s policy and on the rules where you work. This calculator does not decide it. Check the handbook and the labor department of your state.
How many PTO days is normal?
We do not quote an average, because we have no official source for one. Compare your hours with what your offer letter or handbook states.
Why is my balance after N periods lower than I expected?
Check the cap field and the pay frequency. A cap stops the balance early, and a monthly payroll has fewer periods than a weekly one, so each period carries more hours.
Is the information I type stored?
No. The numbers stay on the page and are gone when you close it.
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Sources and limits
- U.S. Department of Labor: Vacation leave
The Fair Labor Standards Act does not require payment for time not worked, such as vacations, sick leave or federal or other holidays; these benefits are matters of agreement between an employer and an employee.
U.S. Department of Labor. Opened on .
Information, not legal advice. Your employer’s policy, your contract, your state or province and a union agreement can give you more than the minimum shown here, and rules change. Confirm dates with your employer and the official body before you plan or give notice. Nothing you type leaves your browser.