Working out what unpaid leave costs
Whether it's an extended trip, a family event or a mental-health break, unpaid time off is sometimes worth it — but it helps to know the price. This calculator works out your daily gross rate and multiplies it by the days you plan to take.
- Hourly workers: daily rate = hourly wage × hours per day
- Salaried workers: daily rate = annual salary ÷ working days per year
- Cost = daily rate × unpaid days
Example: Morgan earns $52,000 a year with 260 working days, so each day is worth $200. Taking 3 unpaid days costs $600 in gross pay — about 1.15% of annual income.
Things to consider
- Unpaid leave can affect benefits or accrued vacation at some employers.
- Check whether paid time off or a flexible schedule is available first.
- Plan for the smaller paycheck in the period the leave falls.
Taking several weeks off? Enter them as unpaid weeks in the hourly to salary calculator to see the full-year effect.