Documentation Index Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.pluvel.com/llms.txt
Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
“How many vacation days do I have left?” is the second most common HR question (after “when do I get paid?”). Without a system, you end up digging through spreadsheets and emails every time someone wants to take time off.
PTO tracking keeps balances accurate, routes requests to managers for approval, and makes sure everyone knows where they stand.
PTO types Most companies track several kinds of time off:
Type What it covers Vacation Annual vacation/PTO days Sick Sick leave (some states mandate this) Personal Personal/floating days Holiday Company-observed holidays Bereavement Time off for family death Jury duty Court service (usually with pay)
You can create as many types as you need.
Setting up PTO policies
Go to Settings
Navigate to Settings → Payroll → PTO Policies .
Create a policy
Click Add Policy .
Configure the details
Policy name (e.g., “Vacation - Full Time”)
Accrual method (see below)
Accrual rate
Maximum balance (cap on accumulation)
Carryover rules (what happens at year-end)
Assign to employees
Policies can apply to everyone, or to specific groups.
Accrual methods How do employees earn PTO?
Method How it works Good for Annual grant Full balance given January 1 (or hire date) Simple, predictable Per pay period Accrues each payroll cycle Gradual earning Hourly Based on hours worked Part-time, hourly workers Monthly Set amount each month Middle ground Unlimited No tracked balance Startups, trust-based policies
Per pay period example An employee earns 15 vacation days per year, paid bi-weekly (26 pay periods):
15 days × 8 hours = 120 hours ÷ 26 periods = 4.62 hours per paycheck
After 6 months, they’ve accrued about 60 hours (7.5 days).
Policy settings Setting What it controls Accrual rate How much PTO accumulates per period Maximum balance Cap on how much can accumulate (prevents hoarding) Carryover limit How much rolls over to next year Waiting period New hires wait X days before accrual starts Use-it-or-lose-it Unused PTO expires at year-end
Example policy
Accrual: 4.62 hours per bi-weekly period
Maximum balance: 200 hours (employees stop accruing once they hit this)
Carryover: Up to 40 hours roll to next year
Waiting period: 90 days for new hires
Employee balances See where everyone stands:
Go to Payroll → PTO
View all employees’ current balances
Click any employee for their full history
Balance breakdown Component What it means Accrued Total earned to date this year Used Time already taken Scheduled Approved future time off Available What they can use right now
Available = Accrued - Used - Scheduled
Time-off requests Employee submits request With self-service enabled:
Employee logs into their portal
Clicks Request Time Off
Selects dates and PTO type
Adds a note if needed (optional)
Submits for approval
They see their balance before submitting, so no “I didn’t know I was out of days” surprises.
Manager approves (or doesn’t)
Manager gets a notification
Reviews the request — dates, balance, team coverage
Approves or denies
Employee gets notified either way
Denied requests should include a reason (“Team already short-staffed that week”).
Payroll reflects it When payroll runs:
Approved PTO for that period shows up
Hours deducted from balance
Pay stub shows “PTO: 16 hours” (or whatever was taken)
Manual adjustments Sometimes you need to adjust balances directly:
Open the employee’s PTO
Click Adjust Balance
Enter the adjustment (positive or negative)
Add a reason
Save
Common reasons for adjustments:
Policy change mid-year
Correcting an error
Manager granting extra days (with approval)
Correcting a missed deduction
All adjustments are logged in the audit trail.
Company holidays Set up your holiday calendar:
Go to Settings → PTO → Holidays
Add your company holidays (New Year’s, Memorial Day, etc.)
Specify who’s eligible (everyone? full-time only?)
Holiday pay applies automatically on those days
Floating holidays Some companies offer floating holidays instead of (or in addition to) fixed holidays:
Employee chooses when to use them
Tracked like vacation
Usually don’t carry over to next year
Good for diverse teams who observe different holidays.
PTO on termination When an employee leaves, what happens to their unused PTO?
Your policy What happens Payout required Pay their remaining balance in final check No payout They forfeit it Capped payout Pay up to X hours, forfeit the rest
But state law may override your policy. California, for example, requires payout of all accrued vacation regardless of what your handbook says. Check your state’s rules.Reports Track PTO across the company:
Report What it shows Balance summary Current balances for all employees Accrual detail How much was earned and when Usage detail Who took time off and when Liability Dollar value of unpaid PTO (for your books)
The liability report is important for accounting — accrued PTO is a liability on your balance sheet.
State-mandated sick leave Some states require you to provide sick leave:
State Minimum requirement California 40 hours/year (as of 2024) New York Up to 56 hours depending on size Colorado 48 hours/year Many others Requirements vary
Pluvel tracks state requirements and helps you stay compliant. If you’re below the minimum, we’ll warn you.
Tax profile Set up your company’s tax profile.
