How do I calculate PTO per pay period?

Divide the employee’s annual PTO hours by the number of periods your policy uses. For example, 120 ÷ 24 = 5 hours. That gives a rate, not an automatic annual earnings cap. The balance calculator applies that rate to the actual credit dates in your chosen window.

Is every two weeks the same as twice a month?

No. Every two weeks repeats every 14 days. Twice monthly uses two fixed dates per calendar month. This version supports the 1st and 15th, or the 15th and last calendar day. An annual rate based on 26 periods is not a promise that every selected date range contains exactly 26 credits.

What should I enter as the opening balance?

Enter the balance at the start of the opening date, before any activity on that date. It should already reflect earlier credits, deductions and any agreed carry-over. Add only deductions within the new window; do not subtract earlier leave again.

Can I use days instead of hours?

Yes. Select Hours or Days above the inputs and set the hours in one working day. The choice applies to every PTO amount, including deductions, caps and goals. Switching units preserves exact amounts. In Days mode, changing hours per day keeps the entered day amounts and recalculates their hours; in Hours mode, it changes only the day equivalents. This is a fixed conversion, not a calculation of unequal workdays. Unedited converted inputs keep full precision even when their displayed decimals are rounded.

How does the maximum balance work?

On each credit date, only the amount that fits below the cap is added. The unused portion is not stored for later catch-up. Existing hours above a newly entered cap are preserved. If a deduction and credit share a date, use the same-day order in your policy. No annual earnings cap, carry-over restriction or expiry is applied.

What does the PTO goal date mean?

It is the first end-of-day balance at or above your target within the selected window, after all credits and deductions on that date. A later deduction may take the balance below the goal again. It is not a leave approval, a guarantee of availability on a later date, or a finding about staffing coverage.

Does this determine legal PTO entitlement or a payout?

No. This models the scheduled additions and deductions you enter, not legal entitlement, paid-sick-leave compliance or a separation payment. Confirm the policy and requirements that apply to your employee.

Which policies are outside this version?

Accrual based on hours actually worked, daily continuous earning, partial-period proration, changing rates, annual front-loading, automatic annual resets, expiry, statutory paid sick leave and state-by-state legal rules. These are not presented as disabled or “coming soon” choices. Use a window with one unchanged policy, of at most 366 calendar dates.

PTO accrual calculator

Free · No sign-up

Calculate a future balance, find a goal date or check your accrual rate.

JavaScript is required for the interactive calculator. The examples, calculation method and limitations below remain readable.

How much PTO will be available?

Fixed scheduled PTO. Your policy, not a legal entitlement calculation.

Enter amounts in

About hours and days

Switching units preserves amounts. Changing hours per day here only changes day equivalents, not the hours entered.

Accrual policy

PTO is added

PTO added each period

hours

Starting balance & dates

Starting balance

hours

Includes earlier additions and time off.

Balance date

Use the balance at the start of this date, before any activity on it.

Next date PTO is added

The first scheduled addition on or after your starting-balance date. Check your policy.

Show the balance through

Date formats and timing

Use MM/DD/YYYY for every date. You can also choose a date with the calendar icon; selected dates are written back in the same format. Month names below confirm how each date is read.

Only complete scheduled additions count. There is no partial-period accrual or automatic shift for weekends or public holidays.

Apply a maximum PTO balance

Advanced settings

Round each scheduled credit

Nearest uses half-up rounding. Displayed decimals are not extra credits.

When PTO is added and deducted on the same date

Order can change the answer at a balance cap. Match your policy.

Calculated in your browser. Nothing is saved or sent.

Your forecast will appear here.

Enter your policy, starting balance and dates. Or try an example to see how it works.

Dated schedule

Dated PTO additions, deductions and balances in the selected input unit
Date	Activity	Added	Used	Not added at cap	Balance

A calculation for general guidance only. It is not legal, HR or payroll advice and creates no legal obligation or commitment for TimeOff.Management.

Choose a date

Arrow keys move by day or week. Page Up/Down changes month; Shift changes year. Enter selects; Escape cancels. Dates use MM/DD/YYYY.

Try a worked example

Fictional inputs. Each example replaces the full calculation.

The method, made visible

Know what goes into the answer.

Start with your employee’s policy, not an assumed national allowance. Every result has a dated schedule you can check and keep.

Read the complete calculation assumptions

Set the amount added each period.

Enter the known hours per credit, or divide an annual allowance by the period count in your policy. Every two weeks and twice monthly are different schedules.

120 hours ÷ 24 periods = 5 hours per credit
Count actual credit dates, not part-months.

The first credit date anchors the schedule. A date on the calculation boundary is included. Weekends and holidays do not move it automatically.

6 credits × 6 hours = 36 newly credited hours
Apply deductions on their dates.

Add credits and subtract the PTO you enter in date order. A balance cap pauses new accrual; it never removes an existing opening balance.

24 opening + 36 credited − 16 deducted = 44 hours

When one calculation becomes a team workflow

Keep PTO clear. Without redoing the calculation.

Once you’ve confirmed the policy, manage your team’s allowances, employee requests and approvals in TimeOff. Start with a setup that matches the way you work. No automatic import from this calculator.

Scheduled allowance releases
Employee requests
Clear balances

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Common questions

A little more clarity on PTO accrual.

Use the result to check a policy’s arithmetic. It does not decide which employment rules apply to an employee.

How do I calculate PTO per pay period?: Divide the employee’s annual PTO hours by the number of periods your policy uses. For example, 120 ÷ 24 = 5 hours. That gives a rate, not an automatic annual earnings cap. The balance calculator applies that rate to the actual credit dates in your chosen window.
Is every two weeks the same as twice a month?: No. Every two weeks repeats every 14 days. Twice monthly uses two fixed dates per calendar month. This version supports the 1st and 15th, or the 15th and last calendar day. An annual rate based on 26 periods is not a promise that every selected date range contains exactly 26 credits.
What should I enter as the opening balance?: Enter the balance at the start of the opening date, before any activity on that date. It should already reflect earlier credits, deductions and any agreed carry-over. Add only deductions within the new window; do not subtract earlier leave again.
Can I use days instead of hours?: Yes. Select Hours or Days above the inputs and set the hours in one working day. The choice applies to every PTO amount, including deductions, caps and goals. Switching units preserves exact amounts. In Days mode, changing hours per day keeps the entered day amounts and recalculates their hours; in Hours mode, it changes only the day equivalents. This is a fixed conversion, not a calculation of unequal workdays. Unedited converted inputs keep full precision even when their displayed decimals are rounded.
How does the maximum balance work?: On each credit date, only the amount that fits below the cap is added. The unused portion is not stored for later catch-up. Existing hours above a newly entered cap are preserved. If a deduction and credit share a date, use the same-day order in your policy. No annual earnings cap, carry-over restriction or expiry is applied.
What does the PTO goal date mean?: It is the first end-of-day balance at or above your target within the selected window, after all credits and deductions on that date. A later deduction may take the balance below the goal again. It is not a leave approval, a guarantee of availability on a later date, or a finding about staffing coverage.
Does this determine legal PTO entitlement or a payout?: No. This models the scheduled additions and deductions you enter, not legal entitlement, paid-sick-leave compliance or a separation payment. Confirm the policy and requirements that apply to your employee.
Which policies are outside this version?: Accrual based on hours actually worked, daily continuous earning, partial-period proration, changing rates, annual front-loading, automatic annual resets, expiry, statutory paid sick leave and state-by-state legal rules. These are not presented as disabled or “coming soon” choices. Use a window with one unchanged policy, of at most 366 calendar dates.

Calculation assumptions, scope & sources

Hours and days, without hidden conversion

All PTO inputs use the selected unit. Days are fixed equivalents at the entered hours per day; they are not working-day counts. Unit switches preserve exact amounts. Editing hours per day in Days mode keeps the day quantities and changes their hour equivalents. Per-credit rounding, when chosen, is always to 0.01 hour, even in Days mode.

One policy, one transparent schedule

The tool supports weekly, every-two-week, twice-monthly and monthly fixed credits. It counts complete scheduled postings, not days worked or employment service. The first included credit is a policy input, not necessarily a hire date or the first payday. A new starter’s waiting period and any partial first credit must be resolved separately.

Boundary dates, caps and deductions

The opening balance precedes activity on the opening date. That date and the calculation-through date are both included. Enter each deduction on the date your policy reduces the balance, including any planned deduction you want modelled. The calculator does not infer approval status or allocate a multi-day request. Multiple deduction rows on one date are summed.

A balance cap limits each new credit, not the starting balance or annual total. The chosen same-day order is applied consistently. Goal dates are tested after all activity on each date. Nothing resets automatically on January 1 or an employment anniversary.

Exact arithmetic; explicit policy rounding

Hours use exact rational arithmetic internally. “Keep full precision” does not round each credit. The other option rounds each credit to the nearest 0.01 hour using half-up rounding, before applying a cap. The main display uses two decimals, with fuller precision in the explanation and exports. There is no automatic final-period true-up.

Source check: 30 October 2026

The legal sources explain why entered policy rules are not a legal-entitlement determination. Product documentation supports the TimeOff setup links. The arithmetic choices above are this calculator’s explicit conventions, not a claim of a universal US PTO policy. Not legal, HR or payroll advice.

Method: scheduled-pto-v1.0

Disclaimer

This calculator and the information on this page are provided for general guidance only. The figures are arithmetic on the policy, balance, dates and deductions you enter, using the method shown; they are not legal, HR or payroll advice, and they do not decide anyone's entitlement, pay or leave. Using the calculator creates no legal obligation, commitment or liability for TimeOff.Management. PTO policies, the law where you work and individual circumstances differ: check your policy and current guidance, and take qualified advice before you act on a figure.