💼 Work Hours Calculator
Calculate total work shift hours and gross wage earnings based on start time, end time, and unpaid lunch break.
Building a timesheet that adds up
A weekly timesheet is five or six small calculations and one place to go wrong: the conversion between hours-and-minutes and the decimal hours that payroll actually uses. Get that right and everything else is addition.
The method for one shift
- Convert start and finish to minutes past midnight. 08:45 is 525; 17:20 is 1,040.
- If the finish is earlier than the start, add 1,440 minutes for the overnight crossing.
- Subtract to get gross minutes worked: 1,040 − 525 = 515.
- Subtract unpaid breaks: 515 − 30 = 485 minutes.
- Divide by 60 for decimal hours: 485 / 60 = 8.083 hours.
A full week
| Day | Start | Finish | Unpaid break | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 08:00 | 16:30 | 30 min | 8.00 |
| Tuesday | 08:15 | 17:00 | 45 min | 8.00 |
| Wednesday | 09:00 | 15:45 | 30 min | 6.25 |
| Thursday | 08:00 | 18:30 | 60 min | 9.50 |
| Friday | 08:00 | 14:00 | 0 | 6.00 |
| Total | — | — | — | 37.75 |
37.75 hours at $24.00 is $906.00 gross. Note Wednesday: 09:00 to 15:45 is 6 hours 45 minutes, which is 6.75 decimal, minus a 30-minute break gives 6.25. Writing it as 6.45 would overstate by 12 minutes.
Overtime
Where overtime applies, it is normally calculated on hours worked beyond a weekly threshold, commonly 40. In the US, the Fair Labor Standards Act requires at least 1.5 times the regular rate beyond 40 hours in a workweek for non-exempt employees. Daily overtime thresholds exist in some states and countries, so 10 hours in one day can trigger overtime even in a short week.
| Component | Hours | Rate | Pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular | 40.00 | $24.00 | $960.00 |
| Overtime | 6.00 | $36.00 | $216.00 |
| Total | 46.00 | — | $1,176.00 |
Breaks: paid or unpaid
Short rest breaks, typically under 20 minutes, are usually paid and counted as hours worked. Meal breaks of 30 minutes or more are generally unpaid, provided the employee is genuinely relieved of duty. A worker who eats at their desk while answering calls is working, and that time is normally payable. Rules vary significantly by jurisdiction.
Rounding clock-in times is permitted in many places but must be neutral: rounding to the nearest quarter hour is acceptable, always rounding down in the employer's favour is not.
Gross versus net
This calculator produces gross pay. Income tax, social insurance, pension contributions and any benefit deductions come out afterwards. Run the annualised gross through the income tax calculator to estimate the federal element, and remember payroll taxes are separate.
A worked example
A fortnight of 41.5 and 38.25 hours at $19.80, with overtime over 40 in each week. Week one: 40 regular ($792.00) plus 1.5 overtime at $29.70 ($44.55), so $836.55. Week two: 38.25 regular, $757.35. Fortnight gross: $1,593.90. Averaging the two weeks to 39.875 hours and paying it all at base rate would pay $1,579.05, short by $14.85, which is why overtime is calculated per week rather than per period.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do I convert minutes worked into decimal hours?
Divide by 60. 15 minutes is 0.25, 30 is 0.5, 45 is 0.75. Writing the minutes directly after a decimal point is the most common timesheet error and always understates the time.
Are lunch breaks paid?
Generally not, when they are 30 minutes or more and the employee is free from duties. Short rest breaks under about 20 minutes are usually paid. The specific rules depend on jurisdiction and sometimes on the employment contract.
How is overtime calculated?
Normally at 1.5 times the regular rate for hours beyond a weekly threshold, commonly 40. Some places also have daily thresholds, and some require double time beyond a higher limit. Overtime is assessed per workweek, not averaged across a pay period.
How many work hours are in a month?
About 173.33 on average, which is 2,080 annual hours divided by twelve. Individual months range from about 160 to 184 depending on how the weekdays fall, which is why salaried pay is usually a flat twelfth rather than hours times rate.
Can my employer round my clock-in time?
In many jurisdictions yes, provided the rounding is neutral and does not systematically favour the employer. Rounding to the nearest quarter hour both ways is typically acceptable; always rounding down is not.
Does this calculate take-home pay?
No, it gives gross pay before deductions. Income tax, social insurance and any pension or benefit contributions are taken afterwards, and together they commonly account for 20% to 35% of gross.