How PTO Accrual Works
PTO accrual equals hours per pay period times pay periods per year. Biweekly pay has 26 periods, so 6.67 hours per period is about 173 hours a year. Caps, carryover and payout depend on policy and state law.
Per-period accrual
Annual accrual = per-period hours times pay periods; total accrued = annual accrual times years of service.
Remaining = total accrued minus used, not below zero; convert to days using 8 hours or the company rule.
Caps and carryover
Many employers cap annual accrual or carryover; whether use-it-or-lose-it is legal depends on state law.
Payout of unused PTO at termination also depends on state law and the contract; states such as California require it.
FAQ
Is biweekly pay 26 or 24 periods?
26 periods; semimonthly pay has 24.
Does PTO expire?
It depends on policy and state law; some allow carryover, others expire at year-end.