Please enter valid positive numbers for all fields.
Your Accrual Rates
Total Annual Leave Hours:–
Accrual Per Hour Worked:–
Accrual Per Pay Period:–
Full Time Equivalent (FTE) Ratio:–
function calculateAccrual() {
// Get input values
var annualDaysStr = document.getElementById("annualDays").value;
var dailyHoursStr = document.getElementById("dailyHours").value;
var weeklyHoursStr = document.getElementById("weeklyHours").value;
var frequencyStr = document.getElementById("payFrequency").value;
// Parse values
var annualDays = parseFloat(annualDaysStr);
var dailyHours = parseFloat(dailyHoursStr);
var weeklyHours = parseFloat(weeklyHoursStr);
var frequency = parseInt(frequencyStr);
// Error handling elements
var errorDiv = document.getElementById("errorDisplay");
var resultsDiv = document.getElementById("resultsDisplay");
// Validation
if (isNaN(annualDays) || isNaN(dailyHours) || isNaN(weeklyHours) || annualDays < 0 || dailyHours <= 0 || weeklyHours <= 0) {
errorDiv.style.display = "block";
resultsDiv.style.display = "none";
return;
}
errorDiv.style.display = "none";
// Calculation Logic
// 1. Calculate total leave hours available per year
var totalAnnualLeaveHours = annualDays * dailyHours;
// 2. Calculate total working hours per year (Standard 52 weeks)
var totalAnnualWorkHours = weeklyHours * 52;
// 3. Calculate Hourly Accrual Rate (Leave Hours earned per Work Hour)
var accrualPerHour = totalAnnualLeaveHours / totalAnnualWorkHours;
// 4. Calculate Period Accrual Rate (Leave Hours earned per Paycheck)
var accrualPerPeriod = totalAnnualLeaveHours / frequency;
// 5. Calculate FTE Ratio (assuming 40 hours is standard FTE)
var fteRatio = weeklyHours / 40;
// Update DOM with results
document.getElementById("resTotalHours").innerHTML = totalAnnualLeaveHours.toFixed(2) + " hours";
document.getElementById("resHourlyRate").innerHTML = accrualPerHour.toFixed(4) + " hours / hour";
document.getElementById("resPeriodRate").innerHTML = accrualPerPeriod.toFixed(2) + " hours / period";
document.getElementById("resFte").innerHTML = (fteRatio * 100).toFixed(0) + "%";
// Show results
resultsDiv.style.display = "block";
}
Understanding Annual Leave Accrual
Calculating annual leave accrual is essential for both HR professionals and employees to ensure accurate Paid Time Off (PTO) tracking. An accrual rate determines how much time off an employee earns for every unit of time worked, whether that is calculated by the hour, the week, or the pay period.
Instead of receiving a lump sum of vacation days at the start of the year, many organizations use an accrual system where leave accumulates gradually. This ensures that leave entitlement is proportional to the time actually worked.
How the Accrual Formula Works
The core logic behind the accrual calculation depends on converting your total annual entitlement into smaller, measurable units based on your payroll frequency.
Total Annual Entitlement: This is the total number of days (or hours) defined in your employment contract (e.g., 10 days per year).
Standard Work Year: Typically calculated as 52 weeks. If you work 40 hours a week, a standard work year is 2,080 hours.
Pay Frequency: The number of times you are paid per year (Weekly: 52, Bi-Weekly: 26, Semi-Monthly: 24, Monthly: 12).
Calculation Example
Consider an employee named Sarah who has the following employment terms:
Leave Entitlement: 15 days per year.
Work Schedule: 8 hours per day, 40 hours per week.
Pay Frequency: Bi-weekly (every two weeks).
Step 1: Convert days to hours.
15 days × 8 hours/day = 120 total leave hours per year.
Step 2: Calculate Accrual per Pay Period.
120 hours ÷ 26 pay periods = 4.61 hours accrued per paycheck.
Step 3: Calculate Hourly Accrual Rate.
Total annual work hours = 40 hours/week × 52 weeks = 2,080 hours.
120 leave hours ÷ 2,080 work hours = 0.0577 hours of leave earned for every hour worked.
Hourly vs. Salaried Accrual
For salaried employees, the "per pay period" metric is most common. Since their paycheck amount is consistent, their leave accrual usually remains a fixed amount per cycle (e.g., 4.61 hours every two weeks).
For hourly employees, specifically those with fluctuating schedules, the "hourly accrual rate" is more accurate. In this model, the leave earned is directly tied to the number of hours clocked. If an hourly employee works overtime, they may accrue leave faster depending on company policy, or simply accrue based on the strict ratio calculated above.
Why Knowing Your Rate Matters
Understanding your specific accrual rate allows you to project future leave balances. For example, if you are planning a holiday in 6 months, you can multiply your period accrual rate by the number of remaining pay periods to see exactly how much time off you will have available by that date.