Main legal question
New York usually turns on the wording and communication of the employer’s vacation or PTO policy, not a blanket payout rule.
New York PTO payout calculator
New York generally lets a clearly communicated employer policy control whether unused vacation or PTO is forfeited or paid out. Use the calculator to estimate the gross value, then compare it with your written policy.
New York: PTO payout depends on your employer's policyAccrued vacation must be paid unless the employer has a written forfeiture policy communicated in advance.
New York policy check
Save your handbook, offer letter, PTO balance, and final payslip. If the policy is silent, unclear, or was not communicated before separation, ask payroll to explain the legal basis for forfeiting accrued time.
Useful evidence
Keep the handbook version in force when you accrued the time, your balance history, and any emails that describe forfeiture or payout.
When to escalate
If the policy is missing, inconsistent, or was changed after you accrued the leave, you may need the New York labor agency or counsel to review it.
What users usually miss in New York
A PTO balance alone does not settle the legal answer. The enforceability of forfeiture language depends on whether the policy was clearly written and actually communicated before separation.
That means the strongest next step is usually not another calculation. It is comparing the estimated balance with the exact policy text and then checking whether final-pay timing and any deductions were also handled correctly.