About 53-Week Years

Learn how Workforce handles 53 weeks in a 13-period calendar.

By default, the first three quarters have three periods and the last quarter has four periods (3-3-3-4). However, the administrator can select which quarter to add four periods to when creating the application. Based on the weekly layout of 4-4-5, 4-5-4, and 5-4-4 calendars (52 weeks times 7 days equals 364 days), plus one remaining day each year and the occurrence of leap year, a 53rd period occurs about every five to six years. The application automatically applies the fifth period in leap years to the extra period defined during application creation.

Salary Basis rates are calculated by a weekly rate based on 52 weeks, then multiplied by the number of weeks in that period. In years with 53 weeks, the weekly rate is multiplied by 5 in the 13th period. The 53rd week pays the additional weekly amount in the period specified when the application was created. The YearTotal amounts are then higher in a 53-week year than a 52-week year by one week’s value. The specified Salary Basis rate is the same for either a 52- or 53-week year.