Result
How to use this calculator
Pick the accrual method from your policy: flat rate (a fixed number of PTO hours each pay period) or per hour worked (an accrual rate multiplied by hours worked, common for hourly staff). Enter hours worked per period, the accrual amount, your pay frequency and current PTO balance. Share a pre-filled link like ?hours=80&rate=1.54&period=biweekly&balance=24.
The formula
Flat rate: PTO per period = the policy rate directly. Per hour worked: PTO per period = hours worked × accrual rate (e.g. 80 hours × 0.01923 = 1.54 hours — 0.01923 is what 40 hours a year per 2,080 worked hours works out to). Annual total = per-period accrual × pay periods per year (weekly 52, biweekly 26, semimonthly 24, monthly 12). Balance after 12 months = current balance + annual accrual (ignores caps and carryover limits).
Example: 1.54 hours per biweekly period
1.54 × 26 pay periods = 40.04 hours per year (about 5 eight-hour days). With a 24-hour balance you reach 64.04 hours after 12 months, accruing about 3.34 hours a month.
FAQ
Accrual vs front-loaded PTO — which is more common?
Accrual (earning PTO gradually each pay period) is the most common US setup because it protects employers from employees banking time and leaving early. Front-loading (granting the full year's PTO on January 1) is friendlier to employees planning long trips and is common for salaried exempt staff. Unlimited PTO is the third model, with no accrual math at all.
Do I get paid for unused PTO when I leave?
It depends on the state. California, for example, treats accrued vacation as earned wages and requires payout at termination; many other states allow a 'use it or lose it' policy. Your employer's written policy governs where state law is silent. Check your state's wage-payment law before assuming either way.
How does accrual per hour worked work?
The policy sets a rate per hour worked — for example, 0.01923 hours of PTO per hour (equal to 40 hours a year for a 2,080-hour employee). Each pay period your hours worked are multiplied by the rate: 80 hours × 0.01923 ≈ 1.54 hours accrued. Part-time staff accrue proportionally less, which is why many employers prefer this method.