Keep a running balance of paid time off for each employee. Choose how PTO is earned — a fixed number of hours each pay period, or hours per hour worked — and the sheet does the rest.
What’s in the template
- 26 pay periods (biweekly for a year)
- Accrual per pay period or per hour worked (for example 1 hour for every 30 worked)
- Optional balance cap and a starting balance carried over from last year
- PTO used, running balance and yearly totals
How PTO accrual works
If an employee earns 80 hours of PTO a year and is paid biweekly, the accrual is 80 ÷ 26 ≈ 3.08 hours per pay period. With per-hour accrual, 1 hour per 30 hours worked is 1 ÷ 30 ≈ 0.0333 hours for every hour worked.
Federal law does not require paid vacation. Whether PTO must be offered, how it accrues and whether unused PTO is paid out when someone leaves depend on your policy and on state law.
Frequently asked questions
Is the PTO tracker free?
Yes, it is free to download and use.
Can I cap the PTO balance?
Yes. Enter a cap and the balance stops growing at that number before any PTO used is subtracted.
Does federal law require paid time off?
No. The Fair Labor Standards Act does not require paid vacation or sick leave. Some states and cities require paid sick leave.