Free PTO Accrual Calculator — Calculate Paid Time Off
An accrued PTO calculator that projects an employee's paid time off balance across the year from any accrual schedule — weekly, bi-weekly, monthly or annual.
Outside the US? Use the annual leave calculator for statutory holiday entitlement and pro-rata calculations.
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How to calculate paid time off
There are two ways to calculate paid time off, and which one you use depends on how the policy is written.
- Per pay period. Divide the annual PTO allowance by the number of pay periods in the year. 15 days on a bi-weekly schedule is 15 ÷ 26 = 0.58 days accrued each pay period, or 4.62 hours if you track PTO in hours.
- Per hour worked. Divide the annual allowance in hours by the annual hours worked. 120 hours of PTO over 2,080 hours is an accrual rate of 0.0577 — roughly one hour of PTO for every 17 hours on the clock. This is the method to use for hourly and part-time staff, because it pro-rates itself.
The accrued PTO calculator above runs the first method and projects the balance forward across the year, including any starting balance and time already booked. What it produces is the earned figure: the accruing PTO calculation stops at what the employee has banked to date, which is not always the same as what they are allowed to take today.
Accrued PTO vs available PTO
Accrued PTO is everything earned so far. Available PTO is the part of it an employee can actually book, and the two diverge whenever a policy adds a waiting period for new hires, caps the balance, or allows time to be taken before it is earned. If your policy does any of those, calculate the accrual first and then apply the rule — in that order, or the cap silently eats accruals that should have carried over.
Frequently Asked Questions about PTO Accruals
What is PTO accrual?
PTO accrual refers to the process of employees earning paid time off over time based on hours worked, pay periods, or other company policies, rather than receiving it all at once.
How is PTO accrual calculated?
PTO accrual is typically calculated by dividing the total annual PTO allowance by the number of pay periods in a year (e.g., 26 for bi-weekly, 12 for monthly). This calculator automates that process for you.
How do I calculate paid time off?
Divide the annual PTO allowance by the number of pay periods to get the amount accrued each period — 15 days over 26 bi-weekly periods is 0.58 days, or 4.62 hours, per period. For hourly and part-time employees, calculate paid time off per hour worked instead: 120 PTO hours divided by 2,080 annual hours gives an accrual rate of 0.0577 hours of PTO per hour on the clock, which pro-rates itself as hours vary.
Does PTO accrue on overtime hours?
It depends on company policy and local labor laws. Generally, PTO accrual is based on standard hours worked or a set amount per pay period, but some policies may include overtime hours in the calculation.
What happens to accrued PTO at the end of the year?
This depends on the company's carryover policy. Some companies allow a certain amount of accrued PTO to roll over to the next year, while others have a 'use it or lose it' policy.
Can I cash out my accrued PTO?
Some employers allow cashing out unused accrued PTO, either at the end of the year or upon termination of employment. Policies vary by company and jurisdiction.
What is the difference between accrued and available PTO?
Accrued PTO is the total amount of time off an employee has earned to date. Available PTO is the portion of accrued PTO that the employee can currently use, which may be subject to waiting periods or approval.
Track time off and accruals on autopilot.
Employees request time off in seconds, balances stay accurate, and approvals happen in a tap — no spreadsheets, no manual math.
Multiple time-off types
Manage vacation, sick leave, personal days and custom leave types in one place. Employees request time off, view balances, and get real-time updates. Managers set custom rules, automate approvals, and get reports on usage.
- Custom leave types
- Real-time balances
- One-tap approvals
- Automated accruals
Days or hours
Track time off in days or hours — whichever fits your policies.
Automated accruals
Accrue by tenure, hours worked, anniversary — weekly, 2-weeks, monthly or yearly.
- Tenure rules
- Carry forward
- Probations
- Anniversary
Time off notifications
Employees and managers get instant updates on requests and approvals.
Vacation dashboard
See who's off, who's sick, and who's remote across the whole company.
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