How leave accruals work

Each leave type can grow a balance over time through an accrual policy. This page explains how the policies behave so you can pick the right one; the form where you configure them is on the Leave Types page, and the balances they produce are on Leave Balances.

Clockspot applies accruals automatically as time passes and hours are recorded — there's nothing to run.

The methods

• None — no automatic accrual. The balance only moves when an admin records an adjustment. Use it for leave you grant by hand.
• Annual — grant the full year's hours at once on the accrual start date. Turn on Prorate first year so a mid-year hire gets a share based on the months remaining.
• Per Period — split the annual total evenly across weekly, biweekly, semi-monthly, or monthly periods, so the balance drips up over the year.
• Hourly — earn a set amount of leave for a set amount of hours worked. The balance tracks actual recorded time, so part-time and variable schedules accrue proportionally.

Accrual start anchors the year to either the Calendar Year (Jan 1, the same for everyone) or each employee's Hire Date. A Waiting period holds the balance at zero for a set number of days after hire before accrual begins.

Caps and limits

All optional, set under Limits on the leave type:

• Max balance — a ceiling the balance can't exceed. Once reached, new accruals are skipped until time off frees up room.
• Max accrual per year — caps how much can be earned in one year, separate from the balance ceiling.
• Max usage per year — caps how much can be taken in one year.
• Negative-balance allowance — how far a balance may go below zero. Leave it at 0 to forbid negative balances.

Carryover at year-end

When a new accrual year begins, the balance carries forward — capped by Max carryover. Anything above the cap is forfeited.

Escalating by tenure

Milestones raise the accrual rate after a length of service — for example, 80 hours a year to start, rising to 120 after three years. Each milestone takes effect once the employee reaches that tenure.

Watching it happen

You don't compute any of this. Open Leave Balances to see current balances and drill into the ledger of accruals, usage, and adjustments. Employees see their own balance and their next scheduled accrual on Time Off.