How to use it
- Type the Paid time off a year (days) from your contract or your country's rule.
- Enter the Hours a week and the Working days a week, so the days turn into hours.
- Choose how often you are Paid, and add the Balance already banked if you have one. Read Earned per pay period (hours) and Balance at the end of the year (hours).
How paid time off is earned
The days of paid leave are turned into hours with the hours of one working day. The yearly hours are then spread evenly over the pay periods of the year. The balance at the end of the year is the balance you started with plus all the hours earned in the year, before any leave you take.
Hours in a working day = hours a week ÷ working days a week
Hours a year = days of paid time off × hours in a working day
Earned per pay period = hours a year ÷ pay periods a year
Balance at the end of the year = starting balance + hours a yearWhere the days and the rule come from
The number of paid leave days and how they are earned are set by the contract, the collective agreement or the law of the country. The International Labour Organization's Holidays with Pay Convention (No. 132) sets a minimum of three working weeks of paid leave for one year of service, for the countries that have ratified it. Three working weeks is 15 days on a five-day week.
What this calculator does not include
- Leave already taken, which reduces the balance. Enter the balance you have after taking it, or subtract the hours yourself.
- Caps on how much can be banked, and payments for unused leave.
- Accrual that is not spread evenly over the pay periods, such as leave earned per hour worked, or a rate that changes after a set length of service.
Worked example: 20 days, 40 hours a week, every two weeks, 12 hours banked
A working day is 40 ÷ 5 = 8 hours, so 20 days are 160 hours a year. Spread over 26 pay periods, that is 160 ÷ 26 = 6.15 hours each pay period. With the 12 hours already banked, the balance at the end of the year is 12 + 160 = 172 hours.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Hours in a working day | 8.00 |
| Hours a year | 160.00 |
| Pay periods a year | 26 |
| Earned per pay period | 6.15 |
| Balance at the end of the year | 172.00 |
Frequently asked questions
How many hours of paid leave do I earn each pay period?
Divide the yearly paid time off in hours by the number of pay periods. For 20 days at 8 hours a day that is 160 hours, and 160 ÷ 26 gives 6.15 hours for each two-week period. Your payslip shows the accrual your employer actually uses.
Why do I need the hours a week and the working days a week?
Leave is often given in days, but balances are kept in hours. The hours a week divided by the working days a week give the hours in one working day, so a 20-day allowance becomes hours.
Is a pay period the same as a pay date?
On a regular schedule the two come to the same count. A pay period is the time a payslip covers, and it is paid on one pay date. Choose the frequency your employer uses.
Does the balance include leave I have already taken?
No. The end balance adds this year's accrual to the starting balance you type. Subtract the hours you have used, or enter the balance you really have, to see what remains.
How many days are three working weeks?
On a five-day working week, three working weeks are 15 days. The ILO Convention No. 132 sets this minimum for the countries that have ratified it; your own contract or law may give more.
Sources
- ILO Helpdesk: Questions and answers on business and working time (Convention No. 132, paid holidays)
Figures and text last checked on Thursday, November 12, 2026.