Q Should my veterinary boss pay me for paid time off (PTO) hours even if I didn't work full-time during the pay period?

PTO hours are offered individually by each employer, therefore they're not explicitly spelled out in most state laws, says Dr. Karl Salzsieder, JD, of Salzsieder Consulting and Legal Services in Kelso, Wash. He says even though there may be no violation of a law, there could be a breach of an employee contract—depending on how the employer-employee arrangement is set up—which would be cause for legal civil action.

First, you should reference your employee contract or check the information in your employee manual. It should be noted that—other than lunch breaks and over-time requirements—most other benefits and the requirements to qualify for them are left up to the employers and employees to negotiate at the time of hire. It's common for employers who offer benefits to require a minimum number of hours worked per week (at least on an average basis) to qualify for the PTO benefit.