What are the different types of vacation pay, and when should I use each one?

When adding vacation earnings during payroll, you’ll be prompted to choose a Vacation Pay type. Each option serves a specific purpose depending on whether vacation is being taken, paid out, or processed on termination.

Vacation Pay (Time Taken)

Use when the employee is taking time off and being paid from their accrued vacation balance.

  • ✅ Reduces the employee’s vacation accrual balance

  • ✅ Pays from previously accrued vacation

  • 📌 Use this when vacation is scheduled and logged as leave

Vacation Pay (No Time Taken)

Use when paying vacation earnings without time off being taken—typically as a lump sum or manual correction.

  • ❌ Does not reduce the vacation balance

  • ✅ Treated as a vacation-related earning for tax purposes

  • 📌 Use this for year-end payouts or in-lieu-of-vacation payments

Vacation Pay Out

Use for employees who receive vacation earnings with every pay, rather than accruing time.

  • ❌ No balance is tracked

  • ✅ Vacation is paid automatically each pay period

  • 📌 Use this when the employee is on a “vacation paid out” policy

Vacation Pay (Employee Terminated)

Use to pay out remaining vacation balances when an employee is leaving the company.

  • ✅ Automatically clears any accrued vacation

  • ✅ Included correctly on the Record of Employment (ROE)

  • 📌 Use this during termination pay processing