Turn your annual vacation allowance into an accrual rate per hour worked and per paycheck, then project your balance.
Project Your Balance (optional)
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Most US employers grant paid time off in one of two ways. With a lump-sum grant, your whole annual allowance appears at the start of the year. With accrual, you earn PTO gradually — a set number of hours each pay period, or a fraction of an hour for every hour you work.
The standard accrual formula is: annual PTO hours ÷ annual work hours. Someone with 15 days (120 hours) of PTO working 2,080 hours a year accrues 0.0577 hours of PTO for every hour worked — about 4.62 hours per bi-weekly paycheck.
| PTO Days | Hours/Year | Per Hour Worked | Bi-Weekly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 days | 80 hrs | 0.0385 | 3.08 hrs |
| 15 days | 120 hrs | 0.0577 | 4.62 hrs |
| 20 days | 160 hrs | 0.0769 | 6.15 hrs |
| 25 days | 200 hrs | 0.0962 | 7.69 hrs |
| 30 days | 240 hrs | 0.1154 | 9.23 hrs |
How do I calculate my PTO accrual rate?
Divide your total annual PTO hours by the hours you work in a year. For 15 days (120 hours) at 40 hours a week, that is 120 ÷ 2,080 = 0.0577 PTO hours per hour worked.
How much PTO do I earn per paycheck?
Divide annual PTO hours by the number of pay periods: 26 for bi-weekly, 24 for semi-monthly, 12 for monthly, 52 for weekly.
Does unused PTO have to be paid out when I leave?
It depends on the state and your employer policy. Some states treat accrued vacation as earned wages that must be paid out; others leave it to company policy. Check your state labor department and your handbook.
What is a PTO accrual cap?
Many employers cap how much PTO you can bank. Once you hit the cap you stop accruing until you use some time — often called a "use it or lose it" or accrual ceiling policy, which some states restrict.