A PTO policy for hourly employees differs from a salaried one in three places: accrual, which is usually per hour worked so part-time and full-time accrue in proportion; the request, which is made against a published schedule rather than a calendar; and the overtime line, because PTO hours are paid at the regular rate and do not count towards the forty hours worked that owe overtime. The Department of Labor's overtime page, cited below, says that unless exempt, employees covered by the Act must receive overtime pay for hours worked over 40 in a workweek at not less than time and one-half their regular rate. The employee handbook template on this site prints the policy from your choices, free and without an account.
Accrual per hour worked
A rate per hour worked, set by the employer, so a thirty-hour week accrues less than a forty-hour one and the arithmetic is the same for everyone; a waiting period if the employer wants one; a cap. The figures are the employer's and the template prints the ones you enter.
Requests against the schedule
Requested by the days ahead the policy states, approved by the manager against the published schedule, with how two requests for the same shift are resolved. For hourly staff the schedule is the calendar, and the policy says so.
Carryover and payout
What carries over, what is lost, and whether accrued unused PTO is paid on exit, which some states require. The termination letter refers to this section, and the final pay reflects it. For hourly staff the payout is calculated at the regular hourly rate on the accrued hours, and the policy says so.
PTO and the overtime count
PTO hours paid at the regular rate and excluded from the forty hours worked in the workweek under the federal rule, unless a state rule or the policy is more generous. The PTO and overtime calculator on this site shows the arithmetic; HeadcountDesk Pro keeps the policy version with each acknowledgment. From the vendors' own pricing pages, cited below: Homebase lists its Essentials plan at $30 per location per month billed monthly or $24 billed annually, with unlimited employees, and a Basic plan at $0 for one location with up to 10 employees; BambooHR starts at $10 per employee per month for Core and $17 for Pro; Deputy's Core plan is $6.50 per user per month. HeadcountDesk Pro is $24 per month per location.
Questions people ask about pto policy for hourly employees
Should hourly PTO be one bank or vacation plus sick?
Where the state requires a separate sick accrual, separate; otherwise the employer's choice, stated.
Can PTO be used in part-shift amounts?
The policy says the smallest unit; hours is common for hourly staff.
Is the template free?
Yes, without an account.