Use this tool to estimate how much paid time off you’ve accrued and what’s available as of any date. Supports three accrual methods: annual allotment, per pay period, and per hour worked.
How it works
Inputs
- Accrual method: Annual allotment, Per pay period, or Per hour worked
- Employment start date and As-of date
- Probation window (days) when accrual does not start
- Annual PTO allotment or accrual rate
- Starting balance (carryover or initial grant)
- PTO used to date
Outputs
- Accrued PTO
- Used PTO
- Available PTO
Formulas
Let:
- A = annual PTO allotment (hours)
- P = probation days
- d = calendar days from start date to as-of date
- Y = days in accrual year (365 or 366 in leap years)
- S = starting balance (hours)
- U = PTO used to date (hours)
How to Use the PTO Calculator
Follow these steps to set your dates and hours so the calculator prorates your annual allotment and shows accrued and available paid time off.
Choose the accrual method.
Select “Annual Allotment.” This mode spreads your yearly PTO hours evenly across the calendar year (Jan 1–Dec 31). Do not pick “Per Pay Period” or “Per Hour Worked” unless your policy uses those methods, or results will be off.
Enter the Employment Start Date.
Use the date you were hired (check your offer letter or HR system). Format dates as mm/dd/yyyy (e.g., 06/04/2025). If you started before Jan 1 of the current year, accrual begins Jan 1; if your As Of Date is before your start date, accrued hours will be 0.
Set the As Of Date.
Pick the date you want the balance for (today or a future checkpoint). The calculator counts eligible calendar days up to this date only. Keep it within the same calendar year for the cleanest result; choosing a date in another year may be capped at year-end.
Enter the Probation Window (days).
Type the number of non-accrual days after hire (e.g., 30, 60, or 90). Use days only, not weeks. A common mistake is entering “60” when your policy is “60 calendar days after start”—be sure it’s calendar days.
Enter the Annual PTO Allotment (hours).
Provide your total yearly hours (e.g., 120 or 126). Decimals are allowed (e.g., 7.5). Avoid adding text like “hrs” or symbols; enter plain numbers.
Add your Starting Balance (hours).
Include any carryover or previously granted PTO at the start of the year. Enter 0 if none. Don’t add your used hours here—the tool subtracts used PTO separately.
Enter PTO Used (to date) (hours).
Sum the hours you have already taken or scheduled up to the As Of Date. Use decimal hours (e.g., 4.5 for 4 hours 30 minutes). Don’t enter negative numbers or try to subtract; the calculator does that for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does each input mean?
Accrual Method = how PTO builds (Annual Allotment spreads a yearly hours budget evenly across the calendar year). Employment Start Date = first day on payroll. As Of Date = the cutoff date to compute totals. Probation Window (days) = days after start when accrual is paused. Annual PTO Allotment = total hours granted for the calendar year. Starting Balance = carryover or granted hours available at the start of the year. PTO Used (to date) = hours already taken through the As Of Date.
How is Accrued PTO calculated under “Annual Allotment”?
Plain-text formula steps:
- days_in_year = 366 if the year is a leap year, otherwise 365.
- accrual_start = the later of (Jan-01 of the As Of Date’s year) and (Employment Start Date + Probation Window).
- days_elapsed = number of whole calendar days from accrual_start up to As Of Date; if negative, use 0.
- daily_rate_hours = Annual PTO Allotment ÷ days_in_year.
- accrued_pto_hours = daily_rate_hours × days_elapsed.
- Display accrued_pto_hours rounded to one decimal place using “round to nearest, ties to even.”
How is Available PTO computed?
available_pto_hours = Starting Balance + Accrued PTO − PTO Used. The calculator shows the arithmetic result (it can be negative if usage exceeds balance).
How are probation windows, mid-year starts, and leap years handled?
Accrual does not begin until after the probation window ends. For someone starting in a prior year, accrual for the current year begins no earlier than Jan-01 of the current year. Leap years use 366 in days_in_year; non-leap years use 365. Date math uses Gregorian calendar days.
The calculator treats “Annual Allotment” accrual as linear over calendar days. It first sets days_in_year to 365 or 366 using the Gregorian calendar. It determines accrual_start as the later of Jan-01 of the As Of year and Employment Start Date plus the probation window. Accrued hours equal (Annual Allotment ÷ days_in_year) × days_elapsed, where days_elapsed is the count of whole days from accrual_start to As Of Date (negative values are clamped to 0). Available PTO equals Starting Balance + Accrued − Used.
Display rounding is to one decimal place using “round to nearest, ties to even” (IEEE 754). Units are hours (accepted for use with SI; 1 h = 3600 s). Dates follow ISO 8601 format (YYYY-MM-DD).
Sources & Methodology