How to calculate annual leave for part-time staff

Studies show that providing adequate time off isn’t just good for employees — it’s also a strategic advantage for companies. Encouraging rest improves productivity, nurtures a healthier workplace culture, and reduces turnover.* In 2019, the World Health Organization recognized burnout as “a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that hasn’t been successfully managed,”** underscoring the importance of proactive absence management. 

By ensuring every team member — full-time or part-time — receives fair, clearly calculated leave, organizations can support well-being, enhance performance, and set the stage for long-term success.

When it comes to paid leave, many regions have laws ensuring both full-time and part-time employees receive some form of entitlement, but specific regulations vary by country, state, or province. And even if legal guidelines exist, calculating annual leave (or PTO in the US) for part-time staff can feel challenging, especially if they work varying days, shifts, or hours.

Below, we’ll show you how to calculate annual leave for part-time employees, regardless of their schedule, step by step.

😇 Take the stress out of absence management

Leapsome’s HRIS automates leave tracking, reduces admin, and centralizes absence data — all in one place

👉 Learn more about Leapsome’s HRIS

*International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2020

^**The World Health Organization, 2019
‍

What is annual leave (PTO in the US) & why is it different for part-time staff?

“Annual leave” is a term commonly used in regions like the UK for the paid time off employees receive each year. In the US, you might hear “paid time off (PTO)” or “vacation time” instead. Whatever the term, the principle is the same: employees are granted paid time away from work to recharge, handle personal matters, and maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Determining leave entitlement for part-time employees can be trickier. While full-time team members often receive a standard amount of time off tied to a traditional five-day workweek, part-time allocations are calculated proportionally based on the hours, days, or shifts they work. This ensures everyone is treated fairly, even if schedules vary.

💡  Freelancers aren’t considered employees and typically don’t receive paid leave. Instead, they usually set their hours and decide when to work. Consult a qualified attorney if you’re uncertain about worker classifications or legal requirements in your region.

How to calculate annual leave for part-time staff members

☝️ While calculating leave based on days worked is common, some organizations may need to calculate entitlements based on shifts or hours. We’ll explore these scenarios, too.

Additionally, the example below is based on UK standards. The full-time annual leave entitlement and pro-rata calculations might differ in other countries.

The most common approach to calculating annual leave for part-time employees is to start with the full-time entitlement and then apply a pro-rata calculation based on their working pattern.

In the UK, for example, almost all full-time employees working five days a week are legally entitled to at least 5.6 weeks of paid annual leave per year.* For someone working eight hours a day, five days a week, this often translates to 28 days. To determine a part-time employee’s entitlement based on days worked, follow these steps:

🌕 Start with the full-time entitlement
For example, a full-time employee entitled to 28 days of annual leave has 5.6 weeks of vacation (28 days ÷ 5 days/week = 5.6 weeks).

🧮 Apply a pro-rata calculation for part-time employees
If a part-time employee works fewer days, multiply 5.6 by the number of days they work. For instance, if they work three days per week: 3 days × 5.6 weeks = 16.8 days of annual leave per year.

🧩 Adjust for less than a full year if necessary
If employees work only part of the year, divide their total entitlement proportionally. For example, if that three-day-a-week employee (16.8 days/year) works for six months, they’d receive 8.4 days for that period.

For example: 

• 5 days worked per week → 5 x 5.6 → 28 days entitlement per year
• 4.5 days worked per week → 4.5 x 5.6 → 25.2 days entitlement per year
• 3 days worked per week → 3 x 5.6 → 16.8 days entitlement per year
• 2 days worked per week → 2 x 5.6 → 11.2 days entitlement per year
• 1 day worked per week → 1 x 5.6 → 5.6 days entitlement per year

You can then calculate this pro-rata for team members on a fixed-term contract who worked for less than a year at the company. 

For example, if a part-time staff member works 3 days a week but only for six months, their annual leave entitlement would be 8.4 days over those six months (annual leave of 16.8 divided by 2).
‍

How to calculate annual leave for part-time staff based on hours or shifts

Part-time employees might have contracts based on hours or shifts worked rather than the number of days. You can calculate their annual leave entitlement using a similar approach to day-based calculations — but the method can vary depending on local regulations, so always ensure compliance with the relevant laws in your region.

💡 Simplify absence management with the right tools

Using a People platform like Leapsome makes this much easier — our absence management tools can automatically calculate each employee’s annual leave entitlement.
Additionally, our HRIS can help you manage absence balances, create and assign absence policies, and standardize approval workflows for smarter, more efficient absence management.

Calculating leave based on shifts

To calculate annual leave for shift workers, use their weekly shift count as the basis. This can then be translated into days or hours of holiday leave, depending on what works best.

For instance, if one shift equals 12 hours, then one shift of leave would equate to 12 hours off.

Here’s how you might calculate entitlement for shift-based workers:

• 3 shifts worked per week → 3 x 5.6 → 16.8 shifts off per year
• 2 shifts worked per week → 2 x 5.6 → 11.2 shifts off per year
• 1 shift worked per week → 1 x 5.6 → 5.6 shifts off per year

If the employee works less than a full year, calculate their leave entitlement pro-rata.

For example, if a part-time employee works three shifts per week but is contracted for only six months. Their annual leave entitlement would be 8.4 shifts over the six months.

Reminder: The 5.6-week example is based on UK standards. The entitlement to full-time annual leave and the corresponding calculations for contracts based on part-time work, shifts, or work hours might differ in other countries.
‍

Calculating leave based on hours

Calculating annual leave for employees with hourly contracts is similar. Instead of basing the calculation on shifts, work out their entitlement based on the number of hours they work. Use the same calculation as the full-time figure above (5.6 weeks as an example).

This method allows you to determine their entitlement in hours and translate it into days if necessary.

Example: An employee who works 25 hours a week gets 140 hours of holiday entitlement per year (25 hours x 5.6 = 140). This equates to 17.5 days per year, based on eight hours for a full day of work (or 23.3 days based on six hours for a full day’s work).

Here are some additional examples of how you might make this calculation:

• 25 hours worked per week → 25 x 5.6 → 140 hours off entitled per year → 17.5 days off per year (based on an 8-hour workday)
• 15 hours worked per week → 15 x 5.6 → 84 hours off entitled per year → 10.5 days off per year (based on an 8-hour workday)
• 10 hours worked per week → 10 x 5.6 → 56 hours off entitled per year → 7 days off per year (based on an 8-hour workday)

Again, this can be calculated pro-rata if they work for less than a year or have irregular hours. 

Example: A part-time staff member works 25 hours per week on a six-month contract. Their entitlement would be 70 hours of leave (or 8.75 eight-hour workdays) over the six months.
‍

Part-time annual leave: a crucial calculation

Every employee deserves and needs time off, including when they work part-time days, hours, or shifts.

Yet, different expectations, local legislation, and employment contracts for various employees add complexity for People professionals. Accurately calculating leave entitlement and understanding how it affects annual leave pay or bonuses can often result in complex calculations and legal considerations.

Leapsome’s new HRIS can help with this and more. By automating and centralizing leave and absence management, our comprehensive people management platform saves HR teams hours of time and effort on creating and editing policies, calculating leave entitlements, and managing approvals.

It also provides a seamless way for team members to request time off and manage their leave, helping to improve the employee experience, reduce absenteeism, and foster a happier workplace culture.

With Core HR features, time tracking, and integrated payroll functionalities, Leapsome gives you everything you need to manage a modern, people-centered workplace. 

🙌 Improve the absence management experience

Make it simple for employees to request time off and for your HR team to manage it.

👉 Book a demo

Frequently asked questions about calculating annual leave for part-time staff

Are part-time staff members entitled to public holidays?

Part-time employees’ entitlement to public holidays (bank holidays) depends on their work schedule, employment contract, and applicable labor laws. Typically, if an employee’s regular work schedule includes a day that coincides with a public holiday, they are entitled to that day off or an equivalent arrangement, such as additional leave or pay.

To ensure compliance, review local, regional, and national labor laws where your organization operates. Additionally, ensure that employment contracts and internal policies clearly outline public holiday entitlements to provide transparency for part-time staff.
‍

Are public holidays included in annual leave?

Whether public holidays are included in annual leave depends on local and national legislation, employment contract stipulations, and company policies. In the United Kingdom, for example, most full-time employees are entitled to 28 days of annual leave, which may or may not include public holidays. While many employers in the UK choose to offer 28 days of annual leave plus public holidays, there is no legal requirement to include public holidays within the annual leave entitlement.

In many other countries, public holidays and annual leave are treated as separate types of absences. This means employees receive a minimum entitlement to paid vacation leave in addition to any public holidays observed. It’s worth noting that public holiday entitlements can vary by region or state, depending on local laws.

To ensure compliance and fairness, consult the applicable labor laws and align your employment contracts and policies accordingly. This will help clarify how annual leave and public holidays are handled for your employees.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and doesn’t offer legal, tax, or financial advice. While we’ve done our best to ensure accuracy and completeness, we can’t guarantee everything is up-to-date or error-free. For tailored advice, we recommend consulting a qualified lawyer or tax advisor.