Formula
daily: accrued = annual × days elapsed ÷ days in leave yearmonthly: accrued = annual × completed months ÷ 12balance = accrued + carried forward − taken
- If you joined during the year, accrual starts on the joining date.
Earn leave in proportion to the time worked so far, then subtract what you've used.
Worked example
24 days, balance on 1 July 2026
- Leave per year (days)
- 24 days
- Leave year starts in
- January
- Accrual method
- Monthly (completed months)
- Balance as of
- 2026-07-01
- Leave taken
- 3 days
- Carried forward
- 2 days
Leave balance
11 days
Accrued so far this leave year: 12 days
Taken: 3 days
Carried forward: 2 days
How it works
With 24 days a year and a January-to-December leave year, you've accrued 24 × 182 ÷ 365 ≈ 11.97 days by 1 July under daily accrual, or exactly 12 days under monthly accrual (6 completed months). Subtract the leave you took and add anything carried forward to get your balance.
Employers differ on rounding to half-days, carry-forward limits, probation rules and whether leave can be taken before it's earned, so this is a pro-rata model, not your HR system. For the days in a stretch of leave use Working Days Calculator with your holidays; for notice and joining timelines see Notice Period Calculator and Experience Calculator.
Assumptions and limits
- Public holidays aren't part of the entitlement.
- Pro-rata only — real policies vary.