PTO Glossary
Short definitions of the terms used across LeaveTools. Each page uses these words with the same meaning.
PTO
Paid time off: hours an employee can take off work while still being paid, under the employer's policy. Used throughout the calculator.
Accrual
PTO earned over time, usually added at the end of each pay period. See the calculator.
Accrual rate
How much PTO is earned per pay period, per year, or per hour worked, as set by the policy. See the methodology.
Accrual cap
The highest balance a policy allows. Once it is reached, new accruals stop until time off is used. See the methodology.
Pay period
The span of time covered by one paycheck. Under a per-period policy, PTO accrues when a pay period ends. See the pay period guide.
Biweekly
Paid every 14 days: 26 pay periods in most years and 27 in some. See the pay period guide.
Semimonthly
Paid twice a month, commonly on the 15th and the last day: 24 pay periods every year. See the pay period guide.
Available balance
Hours an employee can still request: the current balance minus hours already reserved by approved future time off. See the approval workflow guide.
Reserved
Hours set aside by an approved request for future dates. They are deducted from the balance once, when the time off is taken. See the approval workflow guide.
Pending
Hours in a request that has been submitted but not yet approved or rejected. Pending hours do not change the balance. See the approval workflow guide.
Projected balance
The balance expected on a future date, counting accruals and planned time off up to that date. See the calculator.
Adjustment
A dated manual change to a balance, such as a correction or a one-time grant, recorded with its reason category. See the calculator.
Carryover
Unused PTO moved from one policy year to the next, sometimes with a limit. The LeaveTools calculator does not apply carryover rules. See the methodology.
Reviewed by José Luis Pérez on