PTO, Sick, Vacation and Holiday

Vacation and paid time off (PTO) are benefits that you can choose to offer your employees. Both vacation and PTO are considered a form of wages that employees earn as they work. Under California's wage and hour laws, vacation and PTO must accrue and must be paid out at termination. The only exception is where the benefit is provided through an Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) qualified plan.​​​​

  • Vacation

    VacationIf you choose to offer paid vacations to employees, you must follow California law as well as the Labor Commissioner’s rules concerning vacation benefits.  More »

    Read about new 2011 court case.
  • Paid Time Off (PTO)

    Paid Time Off (PTO)Some employers choose to combine vacation, sick leave, holidays and personal days and/or floating holidays into a benefit called “paid time off” (PTO).  More »

  • Controlling Vacation and PTO

    Controlling Vacation and PTOYou generally pay an employee on vacation or PTO the same rate as you would for his/her regular duties.  More »

  • Sick Leave

    Sick LeaveUnless your business is in the city and county of San Francisco, you are not required to offer sick leave to your employees.   More »

    Read about new 2011 court case.
  • Holidays

    HolidaysYou are not required to offer employees time off for holidays, nor are you required to pay for time for holidays granted. If you do offer paid holidays, you choose the holidays that you observe.  More »