🏖️ PTO Calculator
Calculate how fast you earn paid time off, track your current balance, and project when you'll have enough days for your next vacation.
PTO Accrual Settings
$
PTO Balance at Year End
0 days
Accrual Per Pay Period
0 days
PTO Still to Accrue
0 days
Balance After Planned Trip
0 days
Carryover to Next Year
0 days
PTO Value (cash equiv.)
$0
Pay Periods to Save Trip Days
0
Accrual Rate Converter
Enter your annual PTO allowance to see your earn rate at every pay frequency:
How PTO Accrual Works
Accrual Per Period = Annual Days ÷ Number of Pay Periods Per Year
Example: 15 days ÷ 26 biweekly periods = 0.5769 days per paycheck
Year-End Balance = Current Balance + (Remaining Periods × Accrual Rate) − Planned Days Off
Example: 15 days ÷ 26 biweekly periods = 0.5769 days per paycheck
Year-End Balance = Current Balance + (Remaining Periods × Accrual Rate) − Planned Days Off
Common PTO Policies
| Policy Type | How It Works | Pros & Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Accrual-based | Earn PTO gradually each pay period | Encourages tenure; new hires start with less |
| Lump-sum | Full year's PTO available Jan 1 | Simple; may require repayment if you leave early |
| Unlimited PTO | No set days; use as needed | Flexible, but employees often take less than fixed plans |
| Use-it-or-lose-it | Unused PTO expires each year | Illegal in some states (CA, MT, ND, NE) |
| PTO + Sick separate | Separate buckets for vacation vs illness | More structured; common in larger companies |
Does my employer have to pay out unused PTO when I leave? +
It depends on your state. California, Colorado, Montana, and Nebraska require employers to pay out all accrued and unused PTO upon termination (treating it as earned wages). Most other states allow employers to forfeit unused PTO if their policy explicitly states this. Always check your employee handbook and your state's Department of Labor website before leaving a job with a large PTO balance.
What is a PTO carryover cap? +
A carryover cap limits how many unused PTO days you can roll into the next calendar year. For example, a "160-hour cap" means any accrued PTO above 160 hours (20 days) is forfeited at year-end. When you approach the cap, your accrual may pause until your balance drops below the cap — this is called "banking" or "topping out." Some employers use a carryover cap instead of strict use-it-or-lose-it policies.