How the time card is added up
For each day, the calculator takes the time between clocking in and clocking out, then subtracts the unpaid break. If the clock-out time is earlier than the clock-in time, it assumes the shift ran past midnight and adds 24 hours to the clock-out. The seven days are added together, and any hours above the overtime threshold are paid at the overtime rate.
Day hours = (clock-out − clock-in) − unpaid break ÷ 60
Overtime hours = weekly total − 40 (if above 40)
Gross pay = regular hours × rate + overtime hours × rate × 1.5
Worked example: a week with a late shift
Monday to Thursday you work 7:00 to 16:30 with a 30 minute lunch: 9.5 hours minus 0.5 is 9 hours a day, 36 hours in total. Friday you work 22:00 to 06:30 with a 30 minute break, which is 8.5 hours minus 0.5, or 8 hours. The week comes to 44 hours. At $18.50 an hour that is 40 × $18.50 = $740.00 regular pay plus 4 × $27.75 = $111.00 overtime, for $851.00 gross before taxes.
Minutes to decimal hours
Payroll systems usually want decimal hours, while time clocks print hours and minutes. Divide minutes by 60 to convert.
| Minutes | Decimal hours | Minutes | Decimal hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 0.08 | 35 | 0.58 |
| 10 | 0.17 | 40 | 0.67 |
| 15 | 0.25 | 45 | 0.75 |
| 20 | 0.33 | 50 | 0.83 |
| 25 | 0.42 | 55 | 0.92 |
| 30 | 0.50 | 60 | 1.00 |
Which breaks to subtract
Only subtract breaks you are not paid for. The U.S. Department of Labor says short rest breaks of about 5 to 20 minutes are paid work time and count toward overtime, while a bona fide meal period, usually 30 minutes or more, is not work time. Federal law does not require employers to give breaks at all, though some states do. See the Department of Labor page on breaks and meal periods.
Overtime rules this calculator follows
The default is the federal rule: at least time and a half for hours over 40 in a workweek. The Department of Labor defines a workweek as a fixed, regularly recurring period of 168 hours, seven consecutive 24-hour periods, and it does not have to start on Monday (dol.gov overtime rules). If your employer's workweek starts on another day, enter the days in that order anyway; the weekly total is the same.
- An overnight shift is counted on the day it started. If a shift crosses the end of your employer's workweek, the hours after the cutoff belong to the next week, so split that shift by hand.
- Some states have daily overtime. California pays 1.5× after 8 hours in a day and 2× after 12. Use the overtime calculator for those rules.
- Pay is rounded to the cent on each line, the way a pay stub shows it. All figures are gross, before taxes and deductions.
Questions people ask
How do I enter a night shift that ends after midnight?
Type the times as they appear on the clock. If you clock in at 10:00 PM and out at 6:00 AM, enter 22:00 and 06:00 on the day the shift started. Because the clock-out time is earlier than the clock-in time, the calculator treats it as the next morning and counts 8 hours, minus any break.
Should my lunch break be included in my hours?
Not if it is a real meal break. Under federal law, a meal period of usually 30 minutes or more where you are fully relieved of duty is not work time. Short breaks of about 5 to 20 minutes are paid and count toward overtime, so only enter unpaid breaks in the break column.
How do I convert minutes to decimal hours for payroll?
Divide the minutes by 60. 15 minutes is 0.25 hours, 30 minutes is 0.5, 45 minutes is 0.75 and 20 minutes is 0.33. So 7 hours 45 minutes is 7.75 hours. The calculator shows both the decimal total and the h:mm total so you can match whichever your payroll uses.
When does overtime start?
Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, non-exempt employees earn at least 1.5 times their regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek. Federal law has no daily overtime. Some states, including California, also require daily overtime, so use the overtime calculator if your state has daily rules.
Are my entries saved?
Yes, in this browser only. The times, rate and overtime settings are stored in your browser's local storage so they are still there if you close the tab. Nothing is sent to a server. Use Clear all to wipe them, or clear one day with its Clear button.