Formula and assumptions
PTO balance = starting balance + (annual allowance ÷ accrual periods × completed periods) − PTO used.
Results depend on your inputs. Read the calculation methodology.
PTO Accrual Calculator
Calculate PTO earned from eligible hours worked or pay periods, then check carryover, usage and balance assumptions.
PTO accrual by hours worked
Calculate variable periods using one rate. Enter eligible hours only, according to your policy. This estimates earned PTO before caps, leave deductions and policy-specific rounding.
Compare hourly and pay-period PTO accrual
A PTO accrual calculator based on hours worked needs two separate inputs: the hours eligible under your policy and the number of PTO hours earned for each eligible hour. An annual allowance alone does not tell you which worked, paid or leave hours qualify.
| Eligible hours in period | Calculation | PTO earned before rounding |
|---|---|---|
| 40 | 40 × 80 ÷ 2,080 | 1.538462 hours |
| 72 | 72 × 80 ÷ 2,080 | 2.769231 hours |
| 80 | 80 × 80 ÷ 2,080 | 3.076923 hours |
A fixed biweekly allowance of 80 ÷ 26 also gives 3.076923 hours per eligible period. It matches the 80-hour row here by construction; it does not necessarily fall when a period contains fewer worked hours. Select the method your policy actually uses.
Check the calculation in a spreadsheet
Put eligible hours in A2, annual PTO hours in B2 and annual eligible hours in C2. Use =A2*B2/C2, with a positive C2. Keep the rate at full precision and apply the policy's rounding at the required step. This is an earning check, not a complete balance ledger.
Follow the PTO accrual from hours worked guide for a three-period worksheet, or use the PTO balance ledger when usage and dated caps matter.
Worked example
A 120-hour annual allowance paid biweekly accrues 4.62 hours per pay period before caps or waiting periods.
Understand the result
PTO · Pillar guide
PTO Accrual Explained: Rates, Balances and Projections
Understand accrual per pay period, hourly accrual, carryover, caps and future PTO balances.
PTO · GuideBiweekly PTO Accrual: Calculate Hours per Pay Period
Divide the annual PTO allowance by the policy’s number of accrual periods. A 120-hour allowance across 26 periods earns about 4.6154 hours per period.
PTO · GuidePTO Caps and Carryover: Why a Simple Projection Can Differ
Carryover adds an opening balance; a balance cap limits what can be held. A cap applied after every accrual can differ from one applied only at the end.
PTO · GuideConvert PTO Hours to Days for Your Shift Length
Divide available PTO hours by the hours charged for one absence day. Forty-eight hours equals six eight-hour days or four twelve-hour days.
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Calculate →PTOPTO Balance Ledger with Accrual Cap
Apply dated earning and leave transactions in order to see balances and accrual blocked by a cap.
Calculate →Choose the accrual rule before entering the allowance
A yearly allowance does not by itself tell you how leave is earned. Confirm whether the policy accrues by completed pay period, by eligible hour, or grants the full allowance upfront. For period accrual, divide the annual hours by the policy’s period count. Do not substitute the number of calendar months worked for the number of completed biweekly periods.
Reconcile an example balance
An allowance of 104 hours divided across 26 periods earns 4 hours each period. After 10 periods, 40 hours have been earned. Add 12 opening hours and subtract 24 used hours to estimate 28 available hours before an ending cap. Compare those components separately with the leave ledger instead of comparing only the final number.
Frequently asked questions
How much PTO do I earn every two weeks?
Divide annual PTO hours by the policy’s accrual-period count. With 104 hours and 26 periods, the rate is exactly 4 hours per period. A year with 27 paydays does not automatically change the employer’s PTO rule.
How many days is 40 hours of PTO?
It is five 8-hour absence days or four 10-hour absence days. Divide by the hours your policy charges for a full day, not automatically by eight.
Does the cap match a payroll accrual ledger?
Not always. This calculator caps the aggregate ending balance. A policy that stops accrual whenever the balance reaches a cap needs transactions processed in date order.
Can this calculate hourly accrual?
The hourly option divides the annual allowance by a fixed 2,080-hour baseline. Use it only if that baseline fits the policy; it is not a configurable eligible-hours ledger.
Work through a specific example
- Calculate PTO Accrual from Hours Worked — For an hourly accrual policy, multiply eligible hours by the PTO earned per eligible hour. Use the eligible-hour definition and rate from your employer's policy.
- PTO for a Partial Pay Period: Two Calculation Methods — Partial-period PTO depends on the accrual method. An hourly policy uses eligible hours; a fixed-period policy may use a specified proration rule or no proration at all.
Download the example input worksheet to copy the sample rows and record your assumptions.
Check a pay-period rate against the annual allowance
For a defined allowance of 120 hours spread evenly over 26 accrual events, the unrounded rate is 120/26 = 4.615384… hours per event. After six events, that is 27.692307… hours before usage or adjustments. If you round each event to 4.62, the six-event sum becomes 27.72. Preserve the policy’s rounding rule when reconciling a balance.
Compare PTO rates across weekly, biweekly and monthly frequencies. If your policy caps the balance, use the PTO balance ledger to model transaction order. For a specific target balance, use the PTO goal-date calculator. Accrual frequency and payday frequency need not be identical.
Explore published employer policies
See real PTO and vacation policy examples, compare employee groups and accrual structures, and check each employer source. These examples are not an industry average.
Worked examples for this calculator
Use these guides to check your inputs and understand the result before applying it to your own records.
PTO Balance: Earned, Booked and Available Hours
Separate earned PTO from approved future bookings, calculate an uncommitted balance, and avoid subtracting the same request twice.
PTO Accrual Rate Changes Midyear: Split the Calculation
Calculate a PTO projection when the accrual rate changes, separate old and new periods, and check the effective date before prorating.
Forecast PTO When Weekly Hours Vary
Build low, expected and high PTO forecasts from variable eligible hours, then check whether the projected balance covers planned leave.