---
title: "Configure Unawarded Hours"
slug: "configure-unawarded-hours"
description: "Manage unawarded hours effectively with our time-off policies, ensuring accurate accruals based on worked hours before they transfer to main time-off types."
updated: 2026-10-04T15:53:20Z
published: 2026-10-04T15:53:20Z
canonical: "help.workeasysoftware.com/configure-unawarded-hours"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.workeasysoftware.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Configure Unawarded Hours

Unawarded hours store accrued hours that employees cannot use immediately. This ensures the system calculates and transfers hours correctly based on your configured policy rules.

**Example:** An employee accrues hours based on worked hours but cannot use them until the next policy cycle. The hours are first stored in an **Unawarded Hours** time-off type and then transferred to the main time-off type, such as Vacation or Sick.

### Before you begin

- Your license must include the Time Off module.
- This feature only works with time-off policies that accrue based on **Worked Hours**.
- [Set up Time Off types](/docs/set-up-time-off-types). **Notes:**
  - Used only to store accrued hours that are not yet available to use.
  - Does not allow time-off requests.
  - Only valid with accruals based on worked hours.
  - Each unawarded-hours type can be referenced only once within a policy. For example, you cannot reuse the same type for both Personal and Vacation.

### Create or update a time-off policy

You can create a new policy or edit an existing one. If you edit an existing policy, you must **reset** the time-off type before configuring unawarded hours.

1. Select a valid **Time Off Type** with accrual rules, such as Personal, Sick, or Vacation.
2. Set **Accrual Frequency** to **Worked Hours** with the required parameters.
3. In **Award Hours**, choose **Delay the award of hours**.
4. Select the **time-off type** that will store the unawarded hours. Each unawarded-hours type can be used only once per policy. ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/88d7ebef-752e-45d9-95e1-ee13bd7279c5/Images/Documentation/image(785).png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-01T12%3A45%3A11Z&se=2026-11-01T13%3A45%3A11Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=jHtn7g7skkxUM%2Bd7FbLnYoqiUNrc8oQfnjd%2FIcfw6dU%3D)
5. Define when the unawarded hours will transfer to the main time-off type: ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/88d7ebef-752e-45d9-95e1-ee13bd7279c5/Images/Documentation/image(786).png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-01T12%3A45%3A11Z&se=2026-11-01T13%3A45%3A11Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=jHtn7g7skkxUM%2Bd7FbLnYoqiUNrc8oQfnjd%2FIcfw6dU%3D)
  - At the end of the policy cycle, or
  - On the employee’s hire date.

### Update vs. reset

- **Update:** If a time-off type is already configured to delay awarding hours, you cannot change those options without resetting.
- **Reset:** Allows you to enable unawarded hours and reconfigure rules. Existing accrued hours remain in the original time-off type. On the next accrual event, new hours are stored in the unawarded-hours time-off type.

### Balances

After configuration, balances will display the unawarded-hours time-off type after at least one accrual has occurred. Both managers and employees can view these balances. ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/88d7ebef-752e-45d9-95e1-ee13bd7279c5/Images/Documentation/image(787).png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-01T12%3A45%3A11Z&se=2026-11-01T13%3A45%3A11Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=jHtn7g7skkxUM%2Bd7FbLnYoqiUNrc8oQfnjd%2FIcfw6dU%3D)

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/88d7ebef-752e-45d9-95e1-ee13bd7279c5/Images/Documentation/image(788).png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-01T12%3A45%3A11Z&se=2026-11-01T13%3A45%3A11Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=jHtn7g7skkxUM%2Bd7FbLnYoqiUNrc8oQfnjd%2FIcfw6dU%3D)

### Important

- Time-off types appear only after the first accrual completes.
- Accrual cap options from the policy also apply to unawarded-hours time-off types.
- After a carryover event, hours transfer from unawarded hours to the balance-tracked time off.
- The original time-off type manages carryovers and maximum balance events.
- Adjustments are available for unawarded-hours time-off types.

### My Portal – Time Off

Employees can see accrued unawarded hours in their balances but cannot submit time-off requests for this type. Hours become available only after they transfer to the main time-off type. ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/88d7ebef-752e-45d9-95e1-ee13bd7279c5/Images/Documentation/image(789).png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-01T12%3A45%3A11Z&se=2026-11-01T13%3A45%3A11Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=jHtn7g7skkxUM%2Bd7FbLnYoqiUNrc8oQfnjd%2FIcfw6dU%3D)