Attendance

Free Leave Accrual Calculator

Get an instant, policy-ready estimate without spreadsheets.

Calculator Inputs

What This Calculator Does

Calculate accrued leave by completed months.

This calculator is built for practical HR and payroll workflows and gives instant outputs.

Inputs Explained

  • Annual Leave Entitlement (Days): Numeric value: use your policy-compliant value for accurate output.
  • Completed Months: Numeric value: use your policy-compliant value for accurate output.

Formula

Formula details are shown based on your inputs.

Example Calculation

  • Annual leave entitlement: 1
  • Completed months: 1
  • Monthly Accrual 0.08 days
  • Accrued Leave 0.08 days

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this tool free?

Yes. You can use this Timetaag tool without registration.

Can I use this for payroll checks?

Yes. Use it for quick validations before final payroll processing.

Related Tools

Leave Accrual Calculator: How Leave Days Accumulate Over Time

Leave accrual is the process by which employees earn leave entitlement progressively — typically monthly or bi-weekly — rather than receiving the full annual balance on day one. A leave accrual calculator makes it easy to determine exactly how many days an employee has earned at any point in the year, which matters for approval decisions, encashment calculations, and managing leave liability on the company balance sheet.

How Leave Accrual Works

There are two primary accrual models used by organisations. Understanding which model applies to your organisation is the first step before using any leave calculator:

Monthly Accrual

Leave is credited at the end of each calendar month based on the annual entitlement divided by 12. An employee entitled to 24 days earns 2 days per month. This is the most common model globally.

Annual Lump-Sum Grant

The full annual entitlement is credited on the first day of the leave year (or the employee's work anniversary). No progressive accrual — the entire balance is available immediately.

Hours-Based Accrual

Leave accrues per hour worked — common in the US and Australia. An employee might earn 0.0385 hours of leave per hour worked (equivalent to 10 days per year on a 2,080-hour schedule).

Tenure-Based Escalation

The accrual rate increases with service length. A common structure: 15 days/year for years 1–3, 18 days for years 4–7, 21 days for 8+ years. The leave accrual calculator must account for the applicable tier.

The Leave Accrual Rate Formula

For a monthly accrual model, the core formula the leave accrual calculator uses:

Monthly Accrual Rate = Annual Leave Entitlement ÷ 12

Example: 18 days ÷ 12 = 1.5 days per month

Accrued balance at any point in the year:

Accrued Leave = Monthly Rate × Completed Months of Service in the Leave Year

Example: 1.5 days × 7 months = 10.5 days accrued

For hours-based accrual:

Accrual Rate Per Hour = Annual Leave Days × Daily Hours ÷ Annual Working Hours

Example: 10 days × 8 hrs ÷ 2,080 hrs = 0.0385 hours of leave per hour worked

Pro-Rating Accrual for New Joiners and Leavers

One of the most important applications of the leave accrual calculator is handling employees who join or leave mid-year. Pro-rating ensures they only accrue leave for the portion of the year they were employed.

Pro-Rated Accrual = (Annual Entitlement ÷ 12) × Full Months Worked in Leave Year

Example: Employee joins 1 April, leave year ends 31 December (9 months): (18 ÷ 12) × 9 = 13.5 days

Partial month rule: When an employee joins part-way through a month, policies vary. Some organisations credit a full month's accrual if the employee starts before the 15th; others pro-rate down to the day. Check your leave policy carefully — this detail affects both the employee's balance and the company's leave liability.

Accrual Caps and Negative Leave Balances

Most leave policies include an accrual cap — a maximum balance that can accumulate before accrual pauses. This prevents employees from banking excessive leave and creating large financial liabilities.

Calculate accrued leave in seconds

Enter your annual entitlement, months completed, and leave taken in the calculator above for an instant result.

Calculate Now ↑

Frequently Asked Questions: Leave Accrual

Does leave accrue during sick leave or maternity leave?

In most jurisdictions, annual leave continues to accrue during statutory sick leave and maternity/paternity leave — even if the employee is not actively working. This is a statutory right in the UK, EU, Australia, and many other countries. Some jurisdictions also require leave accrual during unpaid family leave. Always verify the rules in your jurisdiction, as this has significant implications for leave balance calculations.

When does leave start accruing — from day one or after a probation period?

This depends entirely on your company policy and applicable law. In many countries, statutory leave accrues from the first day of employment. However, some organisations restrict when leave can be taken (not when it accrues) until probation is completed. In other cases — particularly in the US — accrual may not begin until after a waiting period. The leave accrual calculator above allows you to specify the start date and accrual commencement date separately.

How does leave accrual work for part-time employees?

Part-time employees accrue leave on a pro-rated basis relative to their contracted hours. If a full-time employee earns 20 days per year, a part-time employee working 60% of full-time hours earns 12 days (20 × 0.6). For hours-based accrual, the per-hour rate is identical to full-time employees — the lower total simply reflects fewer hours worked.

What is the difference between leave accrual and leave entitlement?

Leave entitlement is the total number of days an employee is entitled to in a full leave year. Leave accrual is how much of that entitlement has been earned so far during the current leave year. An employee with a 20-day entitlement who has completed 6 months has accrued 10 days — their entitlement is 20, but their current accrued balance is 10.

Disclaimer: This calculator is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. We do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the results. Please consult a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation.