How it works
For each day the calculator takes the clock-out time minus the clock-in time, then subtracts the unpaid lunch or break minutes. If you clock out after midnight (end time earlier than start time), the shift counts through midnight. The days are added up for the week.
Hours over the weekly overtime limit (40 under the US Fair Labor Standards Act) are paid at the overtime multiplier, usually 1.5 times your rate. Many payroll systems round punches; pick a rounding rule to match your employer's.
Daily hours = (time out − time in) − unpaid break · Pay = regular hours × rate + overtime hours × rate × 1.5
Worked example
Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM with a 30-minute lunch = 8 hours a day, 40 hours for the week. At $18 an hour that's $720.00. Add Saturday 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM with no break: 44 hours, 4 of them overtime at $27, for $828.00.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate my time card hours?
For each day, subtract the time you clocked in from the time you clocked out, then take off unpaid breaks. 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM minus 30 minutes is 8 hours. Add the days together for the week.
How do I turn hours and minutes into decimal hours?
Divide the minutes by 60. 7 hours 45 minutes = 7.75 hours, 8 hours 20 minutes = 8.33 hours. The calculator shows decimals because payroll usually uses them.
Is lunch counted as work time?
A meal break of 30 minutes or more where you're fully off duty is usually unpaid, so it comes off. Short breaks of 5 to 20 minutes are usually paid under federal rules, so leave them in.
What does rounding to the nearest 15 minutes mean?
Each punch is moved to the closest quarter hour. 8:07 becomes 8:00 and 8:08 becomes 8:15. Federal rules allow this only if it evens out over time.
When does overtime start?
Under federal law, after 40 hours in a workweek. Some states, such as California, also pay overtime after 8 hours in one day. Change the limit if your rules differ.