What is PTO?Paid time off, and how it actually works.

One PTO bank. Vacation, sick and personal days all come from the same pool. Simple, and you decide how to use it. The downside is that people come to work sick to save days.

Separate banks. Vacation days in one bucket, sick days in another, sometimes personal or floating days in a third. Sick days are usually only for illness and appointments. See PTO vs sick leave.

Unlimited or discretionary PTO. No fixed number: you take what you need with your manager's agreement. See unlimited PTO for how much people actually take.

Most fixed PTO accrues: you earn a slice each paycheck or for each hour worked, instead of getting the whole year on January 1. Fifteen days a year at eight hours is 120 hours, or about 4.6 hours every two weeks. The PTO accrual calculator works it out for your pay schedule and shows when you'll have enough for a trip.

Companies decide what happens to unused PTO at the end of the year: it rolls over, rolls over up to a cap, or expires (use it or lose it). Some states, like California, don't allow PTO to expire once earned. When you leave, some states require earned vacation to be paid out. The PTO payout calculator shows what a balance is worth.

Ask early, in writing, with exact dates and who covers your work. Two to four weeks ahead is normal for a week off, more for popular weeks like the holidays. Check the team calendar first so you're not asking for the same week as two teammates. Our time off request emails have wording you can use.