Tools · PTO Payout

PTO Payout Checker by State

When a job ends, does your state make the employer pay out accrued, unused vacation or PTO? Pick your state, enter your hours and rate, and read the rule applied to your own numbers.

All 50 states. 10 states require the payout, 31 enforce whatever the employer's own policy promises, and 9 have no state rule at all. Each answer is cited; entries pending source verification are flagged as drafts.

Pick your state

Required-payout states first, then the states where the employer's policy decides, then the states with no rule.

Unused vacation at separationPayout required

Unused vacation at separationPayout required

Unused vacation at separationPayout required

Unused vacation at separationPayout required

Unused vacation at separationPayout required

Unused vacation at separationPayout required

Unused vacation at separationPayout required

Unused vacation at separationPayout required

Unused vacation at separationPayout required

Unused vacation at separationPayout required

Unused vacation at separationOnly if the policy provides it

Unused vacation at separationOnly if the policy provides it

Unused vacation at separationOnly if the policy provides it

Unused vacation at separationOnly if the policy provides it

Unused vacation at separationOnly if the policy provides it

Unused vacation at separationOnly if the policy provides it

Unused vacation at separationOnly if the policy provides it

Unused vacation at separationOnly if the policy provides it

Unused vacation at separationOnly if the policy provides it

Unused vacation at separationOnly if the policy provides it

Unused vacation at separationOnly if the policy provides it

Unused vacation at separationOnly if the policy provides it

Unused vacation at separationOnly if the policy provides it

Unused vacation at separationOnly if the policy provides it

Unused vacation at separationOnly if the policy provides it

Unused vacation at separationOnly if the policy provides it

Unused vacation at separationOnly if the policy provides it

Unused vacation at separationOnly if the policy provides it

Unused vacation at separationOnly if the policy provides it

Unused vacation at separationOnly if the policy provides it

Unused vacation at separationOnly if the policy provides it

Unused vacation at separationOnly if the policy provides it

Unused vacation at separationOnly if the policy provides it

Unused vacation at separationOnly if the policy provides it

Unused vacation at separationOnly if the policy provides it

Unused vacation at separationOnly if the policy provides it

Unused vacation at separationOnly if the policy provides it

Unused vacation at separationOnly if the policy provides it

Unused vacation at separationOnly if the policy provides it

Unused vacation at separationOnly if the policy provides it

Unused vacation at separationOnly if the policy provides it

Unused vacation at separationNo state rule

Unused vacation at separationNo state rule

Unused vacation at separationNo state rule

Unused vacation at separationNo state rule

Unused vacation at separationNo state rule

Unused vacation at separationNo state rule

Unused vacation at separationNo state rule

Unused vacation at separationNo state rule

Unused vacation at separationNo state rule

How the PTO payout checker works

There is no federal rule here: whether unused vacation must be in your final check is purely state law, and the states split three ways. A minority treat earned vacation as wages that no policy can take away. The largest group enforces the employer's own policy: a promised payout is collectible, and a clear written forfeiture clause usually stands. A last group has no statute at all, leaving ordinary contract law. The checker shows your state's answer and multiplies your unused hours by your rate so the number at stake is concrete.

The checker states the rule; it does not decide whether your employer owes you, and sick leave, commissions, and union contracts follow their own rules. This tool is informational only and not legal advice. The timing of the final check itself is a separate rule: see the final paycheck checker or the final paycheck laws by state.