US PTO, Vacation, Sick Leave & FMLA Calculators
Calculate PTO accrual, unused-vacation payout, paid sick leave and FMLA dates with the right rule for the job. US leave is not one national formula: federal law sets some protections, state and local laws add others, and employer policy controls much of ordinary PTO.
Quick answerThe federal Fair Labor Standards Act does not require ordinary paid vacation or sick leave for time not worked. Eligible employees of covered employers may receive job-protected FMLA leave—generally up to 12 workweeks for qualifying reasons—while state and local law can separately require paid sick leave, paid family or medical leave, or rules for accrued vacation. Certain covered federal contractors also have a federal paid-sick-leave requirement.
Choose the calculator that matches your situation
Each tool solves one job. That matters in the US because PTO policy, state leave law and federal FMLA rules are different systems and should not be mixed into one generic result.
PTO Accrual Calculator
Work out PTO earned per hour, pay period, month or year from the employer’s accrual policy.
Calculate PTO accrualVacation Payout Calculator
Estimate the cash value of accrued, unused vacation and then check the state-law and policy rules that affect payout.
Estimate vacation payoutState Sick Leave Calculator
Estimate statutory paid sick time using the applicable state rules, employer size and hours worked.
Check sick leaveFMLA Eligibility Calculator
Check the main federal employer-coverage, 12-month, 1,250-hour and 50-within-75-miles tests.
Check FMLA eligibilityFMLA Leave End Date Calculator
Project a continuous-leave end date and see why the employer’s FMLA 12-month method still matters.
Estimate FMLA end dateWorking Days Calculator
Count business days between two dates and exclude selected holidays for scheduling, payroll or leave planning.
Count working daysThe federal baseline—and the numbers people often confuse
These are national reference points. A state, city, union agreement or employer policy may provide more generous rights.
How US leave rules actually work
The easiest way to understand US leave is to stop treating “PTO” as a single legal entitlement. For most workers, the answer comes from three layers: federal law, state or local law, and the employer’s own policy. The calculator you use should match the layer that controls the question.
Federal law
The FLSA does not generally require paid vacation, paid sick days or paid holidays. The FMLA is different: it gives eligible employees of covered employers job-protected leave for qualifying family and medical reasons, and group-health coverage generally continues on the same terms.
- FMLA eligibility and job protection
- Federal contractor sick-leave rules in covered contracts
- No general federal vacation entitlement
State and local law
States and cities can add paid-sick-leave requirements, paid family or medical leave programs, protected leave for specific reasons, and rules affecting accrued vacation. These provisions can differ by employer size, worker type and location.
- Paid sick leave accrual and caps
- Paid family/medical leave programs
- Vacation payout and forfeiture rules
Employer policy or contract
Where the law does not set a minimum, the handbook, PTO policy, offer letter, collective bargaining agreement or established practice usually determines how much time is earned, when it can be used and whether balances are capped.
- Accrual rate and front-loading
- Carryover and balance caps
- Waiting periods and request rules
PTO, vacation, sick leave and FMLA are not the same thing
Search results often use these terms interchangeably. Payroll and legal rules do not. This comparison shows which question belongs to which system.
| Leave type | Usually paid? | Main source of the right | What controls the amount? | Common calculator question |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PTO bank | Usually, if offered | Employer policy, subject to applicable law | Accrual formula, front-loading, caps and carryover | “How many PTO hours have I earned?” |
| Vacation leave | Usually, if offered | Employer policy + state wage/vacation rules | Policy and state treatment of earned vacation | “What is my unused vacation worth?” |
| Paid sick leave | Paid where mandated/covered | State/local law, employer policy, or covered federal-contract rules | Accrual rate, annual cap, employer size, location | “How much statutory sick time do I have?” |
| FMLA leave | FMLA itself is unpaid | Federal FMLA | Eligibility, qualifying reason and leave already used | “Do I qualify and when could leave end?” |
| State paid family/medical leave | Paid benefit where a program applies | State program | State eligibility, wages and program rules | “What benefit or weeks might my state provide?” |
The same PTO balance can have a different legal result in another state
State law does more than set sick-leave hours. It can change whether a leave bank is protected, whether unused vacation is payable, which family events qualify, and whether a city rule applies on top of statewide law.
Accrual rates, caps and coverage vary
Where statutory sick leave applies, the law may define how quickly time accrues, annual usage limits, carryover, waiting periods, covered family members and exemptions. Employer size can change the entitlement.
“Use it or lose it” is not one national rule
Some states treat earned vacation more like wages and restrict forfeiture; others allow the written policy to control more of the outcome. The payout calculator therefore needs both your balance and the relevant state/policy context.
State paid benefits are separate from federal FMLA
A state paid-family-or-medical-leave program can provide wage replacement while FMLA supplies federal job protection. Depending on the circumstances, the two forms of leave may run at the same time.
City rules can add another layer
Some local jurisdictions have their own leave requirements. If an employee works across locations or remotely, the place where work is performed can matter, so a state-only answer may not be enough.
What paid vacation looks like in private industry
These figures are useful for context, not entitlement. They describe benefits reported in the Bureau of Labor Statistics National Compensation Survey for March 2025.
| Service completed | Average vacation days | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| After 1 year | 11 days | A useful early-tenure benchmark, not a statutory minimum. |
| After 5 years | 15 days | Vacation commonly increases with service. |
| After 10 years | 18 days | Longer service often moves workers into higher leave tiers. |
| After 20 years | 20 days | Employer plan design remains the controlling source unless law says otherwise. |
BLS also reported that 80% of private-industry workers had access to paid vacation in March 2025. Access and number of days vary substantially by industry, establishment size and worker characteristics.
Recent leave-law changes worth knowing about
This is a selected update log, not a 50-state legal survey. It shows why a US hub needs regular state-level review instead of a once-a-year national rate change.
Connecticut expanded paid-sick-leave coverage
Connecticut’s phased expansion reached employers with 11 or more employees in the state in 2026. The statute provides accrual at one hour for every 30 hours worked, up to 40 hours per year, subject to its coverage and exceptions.
Nebraska paid sick time took effect
The Nebraska Healthy Families and Workplaces Act requires covered employers with 11 or more employees to provide paid sick time. Employees generally accrue at least one hour for every 30 hours worked after 80 hours of consecutive employment, with annual limits tied to employer size.
Alaska statewide paid sick leave became effective
Alaska began requiring paid sick leave for covered employees. The basic accrual rate is one hour for every 30 hours worked, while annual accrual/use limits depend on employer size and statutory exceptions.
New York added separate paid prenatal leave
New York private-sector employees became entitled to 20 hours of paid prenatal leave per year for covered prenatal health-care services. It is separate from New York State Sick Leave rather than a replacement for that bank.
Three common calculations—and what the number does not tell you
The arithmetic is usually the easy part. The legal or policy rule determines which inputs are valid and whether the resulting hours or dollars are actually owed.
80 hours worked at 0.05 PTO hours per hour
The employee earns 4 PTO hours for that period. Whether the balance carries over, is capped or can be used immediately depends on the policy and applicable law.
80 × 0.05 = 4 PTO hours32 unused hours at $24 per hour
The simple gross value is $768. Whether all 32 hours must be paid at separation depends on the governing state rule and the employer’s valid vacation policy.
32 × $24 = $768 gross value12 months + 1,300 hours is not the whole test
Those two thresholds may be met, but the employee still needs a covered employer, the 50-employees-within-75-miles worksite test (where applicable), and a qualifying reason for FMLA leave.
Tenure + hours + worksite + covered employer + qualifying reasonWhat an FMLA calculator can—and cannot—confirm
An eligibility calculator can screen the main numeric tests: whether the employer is covered, whether the employee has at least 12 months of service, whether at least 1,250 hours were worked during the 12 months before leave begins, and whether the employee works at a location where the employer has at least 50 employees within 75 miles. Private-sector employer coverage generally starts at 50 or more employees in 20 or more workweeks in the current or preceding calendar year; public agencies and local educational agencies are covered under separate rules.
That still does not decide every FMLA issue. The reason for leave must qualify, notice and certification rules can matter, intermittent leave is counted differently from continuous leave, and the employer’s chosen FMLA 12-month period affects how much leave remains. FMLA itself is unpaid, but qualifying FMLA leave can run at the same time as employer-provided paid leave or other applicable paid-leave programs.
How we build and review US leave calculators
We start with the controlling rule, not with a generic PTO formula. Federal tools are checked against Department of Labor guidance and regulations. State tools are checked against the relevant labor department, statute or official program guidance. Employer-policy calculators clearly label inputs that come from the handbook or contract rather than from law.
When a rule is location-specific, we keep the legal assumption visible beside the calculation. That makes the result easier to audit against a paystub, HR record or official source and reduces the risk of presenting one state’s rule as if it applied nationwide.
Questions employees and employers ask most often
Short answers first, with the legal distinction kept intact.
Is an employer required to provide paid vacation in the US?
Not under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. Paid vacation is generally an employer-provided benefit, although state law can affect how accrued vacation must be treated and whether it is payable at separation.
Is paid sick leave required by federal law?
There is no general federal paid-sick-leave mandate for ordinary private-sector employment. State and local laws may require paid sick leave, and certain employees working on covered federal contracts are subject to separate federal contractor sick-leave rules.
How many weeks of FMLA leave can an eligible employee take?
For most qualifying FMLA reasons, an eligible employee may take up to 12 workweeks in the employer’s applicable 12-month period. Eligible military caregiver leave can be up to 26 workweeks in a single 12-month period.
Does FMLA mean I will be paid while I am off work?
No. FMLA itself provides job-protected leave and continued group-health coverage on the required terms, but the leave may be unpaid. Employer-paid leave or a state paid-leave program may run concurrently when the rules allow.
Do I qualify for FMLA after working 1,250 hours?
Hours alone are not enough. You also generally need 12 months of employment, a covered employer, the applicable 50-employees-within-75-miles worksite test, and a qualifying family or medical reason.
Does unused PTO have to be paid when I quit or am fired?
There is no single federal rule requiring ordinary vacation payout. The answer depends on state law, the type of leave bank and the employer’s valid policy or agreement.
Are part-time employees entitled to PTO?
There is no general federal entitlement to employer-paid PTO for part-time workers. Many employers provide pro-rated PTO, while state or local sick-leave laws may cover part-time employees under their own rules.
Can an employer combine vacation and sick leave into one PTO bank?
Often yes, but a combined policy still has to satisfy any applicable state or local minimums. A general PTO bank cannot be administered in a way that takes away statutory sick-leave rights where those rights apply.
Can PTO and FMLA run at the same time?
Yes, in many situations paid leave can run concurrently with FMLA when the absence also qualifies under FMLA and the substitution/concurrency rules are met. Paid status and FMLA job protection are separate concepts.
Which state’s leave law applies to a remote employee?
It depends on the law. State and local leave rules often focus on where the employee performs work, while FMLA has its own worksite rules for remote employees. Multi-state situations should be checked against the specific statute or agency guidance.
What is the difference between accrued PTO and front-loaded PTO?
Accrued PTO is earned gradually according to a formula, such as hours worked or pay periods completed. Front-loaded PTO is placed into the employee’s bank in advance. Carryover, forfeiture and payout consequences can differ by policy and state law.
How often are the US calculators reviewed?
Federal and state rules are reviewed when official guidance or statutes change, with the verification date shown on affected pages. Because state and local leave rules change independently, a calculator should always display the jurisdiction and rule date behind the result.
LeaveCalculators.com provides informational estimates, not legal, tax or payroll advice. For a dispute, termination payment or protected-leave decision, check the governing law and your employer documents and seek qualified advice where needed.
Leave calculators for other countries
Use the country hub that matches the employment law governing the leave—not the employee’s nationality.