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The number-one complaint about Home Depot’s time-off policy used to be the year-long wait before you earned any vacation. The company changed that. You now qualify for one week of vacation after just 6 months, cutting the old waiting period in half. That is a big deal for a company with 475,000 employees, most of whom work hourly positions.

But vacation is only one part of the Home Depot time-off picture, and there are other details worth understanding, especially around parental leave, the lack of an employee discount, and how PTO interacts with the Success Sharing bonus.

Step 1: Know When Your Vacation Clock Starts

Your vacation eligibility now begins at the 6-month mark from your hire date. Previously, associates had to wait a full year. After you hit 6 months, you get one week of vacation. Additional time accrues as your tenure increases.

Home Depot has not published a detailed public accrual table, but the general structure works like this: you earn more vacation days at tenure milestones (typically 1 year, 3 years, 5 years, and beyond). Full-time and part-time eligibility may differ, so confirm your status through MyTHDHR (mythdhr.com).

Step 2: Understand What Paid Time Off Covers

Home Depot’s PTO package includes vacation, sick time, and holiday pay as separate categories. Unlike Walmart, which lumps everything into a dual PTO/PPTO bucket, Home Depot keeps these distinct.

Sick time follows state and local regulations. If you work in a state or city with mandatory paid sick leave, Home Depot complies with those laws. In states without such mandates, sick leave policies are determined at the company level.

Holiday pay depends on your employment status and the specific holiday. Home Depot stores are open on most holidays, and associates who work those days may receive premium pay.

Step 3: Check Your Parental Leave Eligibility

Home Depot offers 6 weeks of paid maternity leave for birth mothers (8 weeks for C-section recovery). Fathers and non-birth parents receive approximately 3 weeks of paid parental bonding time.

These numbers are decent for retail, though they fall short of Target’s 4 weeks at 100% pay for all parents. Walmart does not offer a comparable standalone parental leave program, so Home Depot sits in the middle of the pack among big-box competitors. If you are planning for a new child, talk to HR early to understand the paperwork and timing requirements. Parental leave is separate from your vacation bank, so using it does not eat into your regular PTO.

You will need to coordinate parental leave with any FMLA time you plan to use. Some associates run their paid parental leave concurrently with FMLA to preserve job protection for the full 12-week period. Others use them sequentially to maximize time away. Ask HR which approach works best for your situation before your leave starts.

Step 4: Factor In Success Sharing (Since There’s No Employee Discount)

This is the part that catches every new Home Depot associate off guard: there is no traditional employee merchandise discount. Home Depot is the only major retailer of its size that does not offer one. For comparison, Lowe’s gives 10%, Walmart gives 10%, and Target gives 10% plus additional wellness discounts.

Instead, Home Depot compensates through Success Sharing, a semi-annual bonus tied to store performance. However, as of February 2026, the threshold for earning this bonus jumped from 90% to 95% of plan, and the minimum payout dropped from 50% to 25%. During a slow housing market, hitting 95% is significantly harder.

This matters for PTO planning because some associates rely on Success Sharing to supplement their income during planned time off. If your store is not tracking toward the bonus threshold, that extra financial cushion may not materialize.

Step 5: Learn How to Request Time Off Through MyTHDHR

PTO requests go through MyTHDHR (mythdhr.com), which connects to the Kronos scheduling system. Log in, navigate to your schedule, and submit the request. Your manager will approve or deny based on department staffing.

A common source of confusion: MyTHDHR and MyApron are two different systems. MyTHDHR handles pay, benefits, and HR self-service. MyApron is the in-store operational portal for training and job applications. You want MyTHDHR for anything PTO-related.

If you are a former associate trying to check old PTO balances or final pay, use the Former Associates link on mythdhr.com and verify your identity with your name, date of birth, and last four digits of your SSN.

Step 6: Know Your Rights Under FMLA and State Law

For extended medical leave, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) protections apply if you have worked at Home Depot for at least 12 months and logged 1,250 hours. FMLA provides up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year.

Some states have their own family leave laws that may provide paid leave or additional protections. California, New York, New Jersey, Washington, and several other states have programs that supplement or exceed FMLA. Check with HR or the Home Depot HR contact guide for specifics.

Other Benefits That Affect Your Time-Off Decisions

Even without a product discount, Home Depot offers some benefits worth factoring into your overall compensation picture:

The Homer Fund has distributed over $300 million in emergency grants to associates since 1999, covering more than 200,000 grants. If a personal crisis affects your ability to work, this fund can provide financial support. The ESPP (Employee Stock Purchase Plan) lets you buy Home Depot stock at a 15% discount. And the 401(k) matches up to 5% of your pay.

Part-Time vs. Full-Time: What Changes

Your employment classification affects how much PTO you earn and when you become eligible. Full-time associates hit the 6-month vacation milestone faster simply because they are guaranteed more hours. Part-time associates may also qualify for vacation, but the accrual rate is typically lower.

If you are part-time and working close to full-time hours, pay attention to your classification. Some associates work 35+ hours weekly but remain classified as part-time, which means they miss out on full-time PTO accrual and other benefits. If this describes your situation, talk to your department supervisor or HR about reclassification.

Health insurance eligibility at Home Depot generally requires full-time status. Part-time associates in states with mandatory paid sick leave still get that coverage regardless of classification.

How PTO Resets and the Fiscal Year Calendar

Home Depot operates on a fiscal year that runs February 1 through January 31. Your PTO balance and accrual may reset on this schedule rather than on your hire anniversary or the calendar year. Check MyTHDHR to see when your specific PTO year begins and ends.

This fiscal year timing also affects the Success Sharing bonus payouts, which happen semi-annually. If you are planning time off around bonus season, know that the payout dates typically align with the fiscal calendar, not the calendar year.

For the full rundown on Home Depot’s benefits, see the Home Depot employee benefits page. The Home Depot company hub has links to all workplace topics, including the quitting process and what happens to your PTO when you leave.