How a Regional Credit Union Turned Unused PTO Into $1 Million of Real Financial Value.

Financial institutions spend their days helping members build financial resilience, so it's only fitting when they turn that same expertise inward. For one regional credit union, the pandemic left employees carrying PTO balances that had quietly grown into a real problem, and a real opportunity.

The answer was unused PTO and a solution to turn that into financial wellness for their employees.

The Challenge

During and after the pandemic, employees at this credit union accumulated significant PTO balances that went largely unused. That created a dual challenge: a mounting balance sheet liability for HR and Finance to manage, and a missed opportunity to translate all that earned time into real financial value for employees.

At the same time, HR leadership was focused on expanding financial wellness resources for its workforce, employees who, like many in financial services, look to their own employer for guidance and tools to build personal financial resilience. Traditional benefit offerings weren't enough to address the full range of financial goals employees were navigating, from everyday expenses to retirement savings. The organization needed a solution that was low-friction for HR to manage, meaningful for employees to use, and beneficial to the bottom line.
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The Solution

This credit union partnered with PTO Exchange to give employees a flexible way to convert unused PTO into real financial value, whether that meant paying off unexpected expenses, building retirement savings through a 401(k), contributing to an HSA, or simply gaining financial breathing room.

The rollout was intentional and employee-focused. The organization promotes the program annually at its benefits fair, timed to coincide with open enrollment, ensuring maximum visibility at exactly the moment employees are already thinking about their financial benefits..

The Impact

Since launching in 2024, employees at this credit union have exchanged:

• $1+ million in PTO value

• 20,000+ PTO hours

• 3.04 exchanges per user, per year on average, among the highest engagement rates seen across PTO Exchange clients

A quarter of the organization's active employees have participated in the program, demonstrating strong organic adoption without requiring ongoing HR administration. Beyond straightforward exchanges, the top use cases are HSA contributions and 401(k) retirement savings, signaling that employees are using the platform as a genuine financial planning tool rather than a one-time transaction.

In Their Words

"PTO Exchange has been a wonderful benefit for our employees seen in the high engagement and anecdotal feedback. We're glad to have found this solution."

Why It Works for Financial Services

This credit union's results show what happens when an organization applies its own financial wellness mission to its own team. By turning unused PTO into a meaningful financial planning tool, the organization created a win on every front: reduced PTO liability, stronger employee engagement, and a benefit employees are genuinely grateful for, year after year.

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