Unlimited PTO: Pros, Cons, and How to Make It Work
Updated May 31, 2026
Unlimited PTO removes the fixed allowance — employees take what they need with approval. It's attractive on a careers page, but it has real trade-offs. Here's an honest look and how to make it work.
The pros
Done right, unlimited PTO offers genuine benefits:
The cons
The catch is well-documented: without a floor, many employees take less time off, not more — because there's no clear 'earned' amount and they worry about appearances.
How to make it work
Set a minimum (e.g. 'take at least 3 weeks'), have leaders model taking time off, keep approval consistent, and track usage so you can spot people taking too little. Unlimited doesn't mean unmonitored — visibility keeps it fair.
Even with unlimited PTO, Orvella records every request and approval, so you keep visibility, fairness, and an audit trail.
Frequently asked questions
Do people take more time off with unlimited PTO?
Often the opposite — without a defined allowance, many employees take less. A stated minimum and leaders modeling time off counteract this.
Does unlimited PTO get paid out when you leave?
Generally no — because there's no accrued balance, there's typically nothing to pay out, which is part of its appeal to employers.
How do you track unlimited PTO?
You still record each request and approval so you can ensure fairness and spot under-use, even though there's no balance to deduct.