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Setting Up Paid Time Off (PTO)

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Overview

OnTheClock makes it simple to manage your team’s paid time off (PTO). This guide explains everything you need to know about setting up PTO for your organization. Please note that PTO setup must be done from a browser (not the mobile app).

Below is an overview of the main PTO rules and settings. You’ll find details later in this article on how to configure each one. You can also learn more about how to calculate PTO accruals and balances.

  • Allot X hours per year — A fixed number of PTO hours are granted for the entire year.
  • Accrue X hours per regular hour worked — PTO accumulates for each regular (non-overtime) hour worked.
  • Accrue X% of regular worked hours — PTO accrues based on a percentage of regular hours worked, excluding overtime.
  • Accrue X hours per pay period — PTO accrues each completed pay period.*
  • Accrue X hours per every hour worked — PTO accrues for every hour worked, including overtime.
  • Start Accruing On — The date PTO accrual or allotment begins.
  • Stop Accruing On — The date PTO accrual or allotment ends.
  • Previous Balance — Hours carried over from a prior system or year; may be positive or negative.
  • Max Hours Per Year — The maximum number of PTO hours that can accumulate between the start and stop dates.

Note: If you choose “Accrue X hours per pay period” and the Start Accruing On date falls in the middle of a pay period, PTO will not accrue until the next full pay period begins.

Setup

By default, OnTheClock includes four PTO categories — vacation, holiday, sick, and personal. You can rename any category to match your company’s policy. Using all four categories is optional.

(Optional) Change PTO Categories to Match Your Policy

  1. Step 1: Log in to your OnTheClock account via a browser.
  2. Step 2: Navigate to Settings, then Time Clock Settings.
  3. Step 3: Click Advanced Settings.
  4. Step 4: Under Time Card Columns, locate the PTO type you want to rename.
  5. Step 5: Enter your preferred name in the New Name field.

Time card column settings for PTO categories

Set Up PTO for Individual Employees

  1. Step 1: Log in as an administrator via a browser.
  2. Step 2: Go to your My Team tab.
  3. Step 3: Select the employee you want to update.
  4. Step 4: From their profile, click PTO Settings.
  5. Step 5: Configure PTO rules, then click Save.

Set Up PTO for Multiple Employees

You can assign PTO to multiple employees in two ways — Employee Groups or Bulk PTO.

By Employee Group

Use Employee Groups if multiple employees share the same PTO rules. When you apply PTO to a group, all members receive the same allotments or accruals.

  1. Step 1: Create an employee group.
  2. Step 2: Open Employee Group under Settings.
  3. Step 3: Select PTO Settings.
  4. Step 4: Set PTO rules for the group, then click Save.

Note: If a team member in the group requires different PTO rules, update their PTO settings individually.

Bulk PTO

Bulk PTO is best for adding holiday hours or other time-off hours to all employees at once. You can also apply special pay types (like OT2 for holidays) in advance.

  1. Step 1: Go to PTO and select Add Bulk PTO.
  2. Step 2: Under Select Employees, check the employees to include.
  3. Step 3: Choose the year to apply PTO.
  4. Step 4: Enter the number of hours to add (default is holiday pay).
  5. Step 5: Optional — click Show All to view all PTO categories.
  6. Step 6: Enter hours in the correct boxes, then click Save PTO.

Bulk PTO entry page

Carrying Over PTO (PTO Renewal)

You can choose whether PTO hours carry over into a new year. By default, no PTO is carried over. Before renewing, download a report of the current PTO year for your records.

  1. Step 1: Log in as an administrator via a browser.
  2. Step 2: Go to PTO and select PTO Renewal.
  3. Step 3: Toggle Renew PTO for the applicable employees.
  4. Step 4: Under Proposed PTO Values for New Year, set your carryover policy.

Note: To adjust an employee’s allotted or accrued values, update them directly in their profile.

PTO renewal settings

If you select Some Hours for your policy, specify the exact number of hours to carry over. This amount cannot exceed the employee’s final PTO balance for the previous year.

Retrieving Previous PTO Balances

  1. Step 1: Log in as an administrator via a browser.
  2. Step 2: Go to Settings, then Time Clock Settings.
  3. Step 3: Scroll to View Raw Activity Log.
  4. Step 4: Check Employee Record Updates & Deletes.
  5. Step 5: Review the PTO modification records.

View activity log for PTO history

Tip: Use Ctrl + Print Screen to save this information as a PDF.

View PTO Balances

  1. Step 1: Log in as an administrator or manager.
  2. Step 2: Click the PTO icon.
  3. Step 3: Select PTO Summary.
  4. Step 4: Under Current PTO Hours, choose an employee’s name.
  5. Step 5: View balances and PTO usage details below.
  6. Step 6: To download, click Excel Export for a report showing PTO rules, balances, and used dates.

In the OnTheClock mobile app, you can set up individual employee PTO rules. You can also manage viewing balance. For a more advanced setup, you will want to complete this on the web browser.

PTO Set Up for Individual Employees

  1. Step 1: Log into OnTheClock as an administrator or manager.
  2. Step 2: Tap settings and then tap employees
  3. Step 3: Tap on the employee you'd wish to modify.
  4. Step 4: Scroll to “PTO Settings”.
  5. Step 5: Set your PTO rules for this employee and “Save”.

View PTO Balances

  1. Step 1: Log in as the administrator or manager. 
  2. Step 2: On the dashboard, scroll down to the Paid Time Off section and Tap “Paid Time Off.”
  4. Step 3: Select the employee to view the balance.
  5. Step 4: From here, you may add a request by clicking “Request” and considering “Pending,” “Approved,” or “Denied” requests. 

What to Expect

Once your PTO is set up for your business, you can easily maintain and manage employees' PTO policies. Renamed PTO columns will show up with the new names inside the PTO tab for employees and within your time card display. Renamed columns will also show on downloaded or printed time cards. If you apply your PTO accrual rules later in the year, this feature is retroactive and will look at all the hours worked during the accrual period to calculate employees' PTO based on the entered value.

Troubleshooting

A
Max PTO only applies to accrued PTO — not carry-over PTO. Any PTO added as a “previous balance” will be added on top of accrued or allotted hours. So, if your max PTO is 120 hours, and an employee carries over 10 hours of PTO from the previous year, he or she can accumulate a maximum of 130 hours of PTO.
A
If you’d like carryover PTO to count toward your maximum PTO, you’ll need to adjust your maximum PTO amount. For example, if you’d like to carry over 10 hours of PTO and the max PTO is set at 120 hours, set your maximum PTO for 110 hours. This way, the accrual will stop at 110 hours, leaving your total as 120.
A
To download all of your employees’ PTO balances, navigate to the “PTO” tab and select “PTO Renewal.” Next, under “Due for Renewal,” select “All (All Employees).” Finally, click “Export Balances.”
A
Yes. This can be accomplished using the “accrue X hours per every hour worked” rule because this rule incorporates overtime hours. Follow these steps: Step 1: Select an employee from the employee icon. Step 2: Navigate to the "PTO settings" tab. Step 3: Under the "SIC" heading, choose the rule "Accrue X hours per every hour worked." Step 4: Calculate the accrual rate by dividing the state rule (i.e., one hour for every 30 hours worked). Step 5: Round the result to the fourth decimal place (i.e., 0.0334). Step 6: Enter the rounded value (i.e., 0.0334) into the accrual box. Step 7: If required by state law, specify the maximum hours allowed per year in the "Max Hours per Year" box.
A
We have a handy calculator that can help you calculate your accrual amount, as well as an explanation of how to calculate the values for your PTO. Read more.
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What's Next

PTO Balances

Learn how to view balances for PTO.

Holiday Pay

Learn more about setting up PTO for holidays.

PTO Requests

Learn more about how to approve or deny PTO requests.