Understand Different PTO Approaches - Knowledge Base | BerniePortal

Understanding Different PTO Approaches

Each PTO subgroup uses one calculation approach. Employers and PTO Feature Admins choose it in PTO Calculation Method on the subgroup's Configure page.

BerniePortal offers two approaches: Annual Allotment and Accrual Bank: Standard. Both support Flat amount or Years of Service distribution and Accrue monthly, Accrue quarterly, or Accrue annually timing. They differ in how the PTO year resets, whether unused time rolls over, and whether employees can request time beyond their current balance.

To create a subgroup and set the approach, see Creating and Configuring PTO Subgroups.

Annual Allotment

Annual Allotment runs on a defined PTO year. Employees earn their annual amount on the schedule you set, unused time is handled at year change by rollover rules, and employees can request only time they have already accrued.

Best for: Organizations that want a clear annual cycle and do not want employees to borrow against future accruals.

What you configure (per time-off category on PTO Amounts):
  • Distribution Type — Flat amount (same annual amount for everyone) or Years of Service (tiered amounts by tenure).
  • Allotment Date — When the PTO year renews: Based on hire date, Based on calendar year, or a fiscal start from Based on 02/1 fiscal year through Based on 12/1 fiscal year.
  • Accrual Timeframe — Accrue monthly, Accrue quarterly, or Accrue annually.
  • Rollover Settings — Do not rollover or Rollover unused days. If rollover is enabled, set Rollover Amount to Unlimited rollover or a value from 1 to 60 days.
Requests: Employees cannot request more days than their current accrued balance (pending requests count against that limit).

Example:
  • Policy: 12 annual days (flat), accrue monthly, rollover maximum of 3 days.
  • An employee ends the year with 10 unused days.
  • At the new year: 7 days are forfeited, 3 days roll over, and 1 day accrues for the first month — 4 days available.

Accrual Bank: Standard

Accrual Bank: Standard keeps a continuous balance. There is no annual rollover or allotment-date reset in the amounts settings. Employees keep earning their annual accrual amount on the schedule you set until they reach the positive limit, and they can request beyond their current balance up to the negative limit.

Best for: Organizations that want balances to carry forward and that allow limited borrowing against future accruals.

What you configure (per time-off category on PTO Amounts):
  • Distribution Type — Same options as Annual Allotment: Flat amount or Years of Service.
  • Annual Accrual Amount — How many days employees earn per year (flat or per tenure tier).
  • Positive Limit — Maximum balance. When the balance reaches this limit, further accrual is capped at the limit until the employee uses time.
  • Negative Limit — How many days beyond the current balance an employee may request (borrowing). Entered as a non-negative number of days.
  • Accrual Timeframe — Accrue monthly, Accrue quarterly, or Accrue annually. Allotment Date and Rollover Settings do not appear for this approach.
Requests: Employees can request up to their current balance plus the negative limit. Pending requests count against that total.

Example:
  • Policy: 12 annual days (flat), accrue monthly, negative limit of 3 days, positive limit of 15 days.
  • An employee has 1 day accrued and needs 2 days off. The request can be approved, leaving a balance of −1. They could still borrow 2 more days before hitting the −3 limit.
  • If the balance later reaches the positive limit of 15, accrual stops adding above 15 until they use time.

How the Approaches Differ

  • Year cycle — Annual Allotment uses Allotment Date and optional rollover at year change. Accrual Bank: Standard has no allotment-date or rollover controls; balances carry forward within the positive limit.
  • Borrowing — Annual Allotment does not allow requests beyond accrued balance. Accrual Bank: Standard allows borrowing up to Negative Limit.
  • Max balance — Accrual Bank: Standard caps the bank with Positive Limit. Annual Allotment manages unused time through rollover (or forfeit) at the allotment date instead.
  • Shared options — Both approaches use the same distribution types and accrual timeframes for non-Floating categories.
After you choose an approach, finish amounts and lock the subgroup as described in Creating and Configuring PTO Subgroups.

    • Related Articles

    • Creating and Configuring PTO Subgroups

      PTO Subgroups let you give different groups of employees different PTO policies. Create a subgroup, set its approach and work day on Configure, then turn on categories and amounts on PTO Amounts. To create a subgroup: Log in as the employer or a PTO ...

    • PTO Dashboard: How to Submit a PTO Request, Review the PTO Policy, and Estimate Future PTO- Employee

      Use PTO Dashboard to view your PTO balances, submit a time-off request, review your employer's PTO policy, and estimate your balance on a future date. Who can access PTO Dashboard Active employees whose employer has PTO enabled and who are assigned a ...

    • Viewing the PTO Calendar - Approver

      As a PTO Approver, use the PTO Calendar to see your own time off, time off for employees you approve, and organization-wide PTO on a monthly calendar. To access: Log in to BerniePortal as a PTO Approver Select PTO in the top navigation Select ...

    • Accrual History: Review PTO Accrual History and Manual Adjustments- Employee

      Use Accrual History to review automatic PTO accruals and any manual adjustments applied to your balances. Employees can view this history; they cannot create or edit adjustments here. Who can access Accrual History Active employees whose employer has ...

    • Viewing Employee PTO Balances - Admin

      Employers and PTO Feature Admins can open an employee's PTO page to view balances by PTO type, adjust balances, estimate a future balance, and review accrual history. Feature Admins only see PTO for employees in their PTO subgroups. See Feature ...