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PTO Accrual Calculator

See how much paid time off an employee has earned, what they have left, and whether your policy keeps up with your state's paid sick leave law.

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State rules checked October 14, 2026

Working out the balance↓

An example is filled in so you can see how it works. Change anything.

Where and who

State where the employee works

* has a statewide paid sick leave law.

Employees you have (in that state)

Some state laws only apply above a certain size.

Employee's start date

Show the balance on

Hours worked in a typical week

Hours in one workday

Used to turn hours into days.

Your PTO policy

How does PTO build up?

Per hours workede.g. 1 hour per 30 workedPer pay periode.g. 4 hours each paydayYearly allowancespread over each paydayFront-loadedgiven all at once each year

Accrual rate

Earnshour(s) for everyhours worked

How often you run payroll

PTO is added at the end of each pay period.

PTO year resets on

When caps reset and carryover is applied.

Limits and extras(optional)

Caps, carryover and waiting periodmax balance

Most PTO earned per year (hours)

Maximum balance (hours)

Accrual pauses at this amount.

Most that carries into the next year (hours)

Leave blank for no limit. Enter 0 for use-it-or-lose-it.

Waiting period before PTO starts (days)

Days after the start date before PTO begins to build.

Time off already taken2 entries

Balance already on the books at the start date (hours)

More PTO with years of service, and pay valuepay rate

Steps by years of serviceFor example, after 3 years the yearly amount goes up. Uses the same unit as your policy.

Employee's hourly pay rate (to show the dollar value)

This calculator runs in your browser. Nothing you enter is saved or sent anywhere.

Your PTO balance

Working out the balance…

Important: please read

This calculator gives an estimate for general information only. It is not legal, payroll or tax advice. PTO and paid sick leave rules depend on federal, state and local law, your written policy, employment contracts, collective bargaining agreements, employee classification and other facts. MadyHR.ai is not a law firm and accepts no responsibility for decisions made using this tool. Always check with the relevant government agency or a qualified professional before making pay or leave decisions.

The state rules here cover statewide paid sick leave laws in force on October 14, 2026, and were checked that day against the official source linked next to each rule. Cities and counties (for example Chicago, New York City, San Francisco, Seattle and Philadelphia) can have their own, more generous laws, which this tool does not include. Find any state's labor office in the U.S. DOL State Labor Offices directory.

What is PTO accrual?

PTO (paid time off) accrual is the way an employee builds up paid time off over time, instead of receiving it all at once. Most U.S. employers choose their own PTO rules, because federal law does not require paid vacation, sick leave or holidays. U.S. DOL — Vacation Leave

Some states do require paid sick leave, usually earned at a set rate for each hour worked. If your PTO policy is also meant to cover paid sick leave, it needs to meet that state's minimum. The calculator's state check compares your policy with the statewide rule for the state you pick.

How to calculate PTO accrual

Per hours worked. Divide the hours worked by the hours needed to earn one hour of PTO.

PTO earned = hours worked ÷ hours needed per 1 hour
40 hours a week at 1 hour per 30 worked = 40 ÷ 30 = 1.33 hours a week, or about 69 hours over 52 weeks.

Per pay period. Divide the yearly amount by the number of paydays in a year.

PTO per pay period = yearly PTO ÷ pay periods a year
80 hours a year, paid every two weeks = 80 ÷ 26 = 3.08 hours per payday.

PTO earned per pay period for common yearly amounts
Yearly PTO	Weekly (52)	Every 2 weeks (26)	Twice a month (24)	Monthly (12)
40 hours (5 days)	0.77 h	1.54 h	1.67 h	3.33 h
80 hours (10 days)	1.54 h	3.08 h	3.33 h	6.67 h
120 hours (15 days)	2.31 h	4.62 h	5 h	10 h
160 hours (20 days)	3.08 h	6.15 h	6.67 h	13.33 h

Front-loading. The employee gets the full yearly amount on the first day of the PTO year. A new hire often gets a part-year amount, worked out by the share of the year left.

Part-year amount = yearly PTO × days left in the PTO year ÷ days in the year
80 hours, starting July 1 (184 of 365 days left) = 80 × 184 ÷ 365 = 40.33 hours.

Caps and carryover

A yearly cap limits how much PTO can be earned in one PTO year. A maximum balance pauses accrual once the balance reaches a set amount, until the employee uses some time off. A carryover limit sets how much unused PTO moves into the next year; anything above it is lost at the reset date. Some states don't allow earned vacation to be forfeited this way. For example, California treats vested vacation as wages that can't be lost through a use-it-or-lose-it policy, though a reasonable cap on accrual is allowed. California Labor Commissioner — Vacation FAQ

States with paid sick leave laws

As of October 14, 2026, these states and D.C. have a statewide paid sick leave law that this calculator checks against: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington. Each name links to the official source we used. Virginia's law is due to start on July 1, 2027. Code of Virginia §40.1-33.6:2

Frequently asked questions

Does federal law require PTO?

No. The Fair Labor Standards Act does not require payment for time not worked, such as vacations, sick leave or holidays. These are matters of agreement between the employer and the employee, unless a state or local law requires them. U.S. DOL — Vacation Leave

How much PTO is 1 hour for every 30 hours worked?

For a full-time employee working 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year (2,080 hours), it is 2,080 ÷ 30 = 69.33 hours a year. Many state laws let the employer cap what can be earned or used each year, for example at 40 or 48 hours. Use the calculator's yearly cap to model this.

Does California require a minimum amount of paid sick leave?

Yes. California employees earn at least 1 hour for every 30 hours worked. Employers may limit use to 40 hours or 5 days a year and cap the balance at 80 hours or 10 days. California Labor Commissioner — Paid Sick Leave

Do I have to pay out unused PTO when someone leaves?

It depends on the state and your policy. Some states, such as California and Colorado, require earned vacation to be paid at separation. Colorado CDLE — INFO #3E In other states, such as Texas, vacation pay is owed only as promised in a written policy or agreement. Texas Workforce Commission Pick your state in the calculator to see what we have on file.

Can part-time employees earn PTO?

Under a per-hours-worked policy, part-time employees earn PTO for every hour they work, so they earn less than full-time staff. Where a state sick leave law applies, it usually covers part-time employees too. For example, Colorado's law applies to all employers and is earned at 1 hour per 30 worked. Colorado CDLE — INFO #6B

What's the difference between accrual and front-loading?

With accrual, PTO builds up a little each pay period. With front-loading, the employee gets the whole year's amount at the start of the PTO year. Several state sick leave laws allow front-loading instead of accrual, for example New Jersey. NJ Department of Labor

Does this tool cover city and county sick leave laws?

No. It covers statewide laws only. Some cities and counties have their own laws. For example, Illinois's statewide law doesn't apply to employers covered by a local paid leave ordinance such as Chicago's or Cook County's. Illinois Department of Labor

Is this calculator legal advice?

No. It gives an estimate for general information only. Check with the relevant government agency or a qualified professional before making decisions.