Pto Accrual Calculator

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Starting PTO Balance (Hours)

Accrual Rate (Hours earned per period)

Number of Pay Periods to Project

Planned Time Off (Hours to use during this time)

Projected Final Balance

0 Hours

Understanding PTO Accrual

Paid Time Off (PTO) accrual is the method by which employees earn vacation, sick, or personal time over the course of their employment. Instead of receiving a lump sum of days at the start of the year, many companies prefer an "accrual" system where hours are earned incrementally based on pay periods.

This calculator helps you project exactly how many hours of leave you will have available by a specific future date, accounting for your current balance and any planned vacations you intend to take in the interim.

How to Calculate PTO Accrual Manually

The formula for projecting your PTO is straightforward:

            (Current Balance) + (Accrual Rate × Number of Pay Periods) – (Planned Time Off) = Projected Balance
        

Example Calculation

Realistic Scenario:
Let's say Sarah currently has 24 hours of PTO. Her company pays bi-weekly, and she earns 4.62 hours per pay period (which equals roughly 3 weeks per year). She wants to know how much time she will have in 10 pay periods (about 20 weeks), and she plans to take 16 hours off for a long weekend next month.

Calculation: 24 + (4.62 × 10) – 16 = 54.2 Hours

Common Accrual Frequencies

Weekly: 52 pay periods per year.
Bi-weekly: 26 pay periods per year (every two weeks).
Semi-monthly: 24 pay periods per year (typically 1st and 15th).
Monthly: 12 pay periods per year.

Why Use a PTO Accrual Calculator?

Planning a major vacation requires precision. If you are planning a two-week trip that requires 80 hours of leave, but you only have 40 hours now, you need to know if your accrual rate will bridge that gap before your departure date. This tool prevents "over-budgeting" your time off and ensures you remain within your company's policy limits, such as "accrual caps" where you stop earning time once you hit a certain maximum balance.