To calculate work hours, subtract your clock-in time from your clock-out time and take off any unpaid break. 8:00 AM to 4:45 PM with a 30-minute lunch is 8h 15m, or 8.25 decimal hours. Enter each day's punches to total a timesheet, split regular and overtime hours, and estimate gross pay.
How to use this work hours calculator
- Enter clock-in and clock-out times for each day you worked. Leave days off blank.
- Enter unpaid break minutes, usually your meal break. Leave short paid breaks out.
- Add your hourly rate to see gross pay, and choose 1.5× or 2× for overtime.
- If your employer rounds punches, pick the same rounding (5, 6 or 15 minutes).
- Read the weekly total in decimal hours and hours-and-minutes, the regular and overtime split, and your gross pay. The chart shows each day against an 8-hour line.
How it's calculated
Hours worked = (clock-out − clock-in − unpaid break) ÷ 60
- Clock times are turned into minutes after midnight. If clock-out is earlier than clock-in, the shift crossed midnight, so 24 hours are added.
- Unpaid break is subtracted. The Department of Labor treats short rest breaks (about 5 to 20 minutes) as paid time and bona fide meal periods (typically 30 minutes or more) as unpaid (Fact Sheet #22).
- Overtime hours = weekly total − 40, if positive. The FLSA overtime rule works on the workweek, not the day (Fact Sheet #23).
- Gross pay = regular hours × rate + overtime hours × rate × 1.5.
Worked examples
One day: 8:00 AM to 4:45 PM with a 30-minute lunch
8 hours 45 minutes on the clock minus 30 minutes = 8h 15m = 8.25 hours.
A week of five 10-hour days at $22
50 hours: 40 regular and 10 overtime. Pay = 40 × $22 + 10 × $33 = $1,210.00 for the week, before tax.
Overnight: 10:00 PM to 6:30 AM with 30 minutes unpaid
The clock-out is before the clock-in, so add 24 hours: 8 hours 30 minutes minus 30 = 8h 00m.
Shift length table
Paid hours for common day, evening and overnight shifts, with and without an unpaid 30-minute meal break. Shifts ending at or after midnight wrap into the next day.
| Shift | Hours | With 30-min unpaid lunch |
|---|---|---|
| 6:00 AM to 2:00 PM | 8 | 7.5 |
| 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM | 8 | 7.5 |
| 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM | 8.5 | 8 |
| 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM | 7 | 6.5 |
| 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM | 8 | 7.5 |
| 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM | 8.5 | 8 |
| 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM | 9 | 8.5 |
| 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM | 8 | 7.5 |
| 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM | 8.5 | 8 |
| 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM | 8 | 7.5 |
| 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM | 9 | 8.5 |
| 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM | 12 | 11.5 |
| 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM | 6 | 5.5 |
| 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM | 8 | 7.5 |
| 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM | 8 | 7.5 |
| 2:00 PM to 10:00 PM | 8 | 7.5 |
| 3:00 PM to 11:00 PM | 8 | 7.5 |
| 4:00 PM to 12:00 AM | 8 | 7.5 |
| 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM | 4 | 3.5 |
| 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM | 16 | 15.5 |
| 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM | 12 | 11.5 |
| 7:00 PM to 7:00 AM | 12 | 11.5 |
| 10:00 PM to 5:00 AM | 7 | 6.5 |
| 11:00 PM to 7:00 AM | 8 | 7.5 |
Clock-out time after a set number of hours
The clock time a given number of hours after each start, with no break. Add your unpaid lunch on top: an 8-hour day starting at 8am with 30 minutes unpaid ends at 4:30 PM.
| Start | +4 h | +6 h | +8 h | +9 h | +10 h | +12 h |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6:00 AM | 10:00 AM | 12:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | 4:00 PM | 6:00 PM |
| 7:00 AM | 11:00 AM | 1:00 PM | 3:00 PM | 4:00 PM | 5:00 PM | 7:00 PM |
| 8:00 AM | 12:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 4:00 PM | 5:00 PM | 6:00 PM | 8:00 PM |
| 9:00 AM | 1:00 PM | 3:00 PM | 5:00 PM | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | 9:00 PM |
| 10:00 AM | 2:00 PM | 4:00 PM | 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | 10:00 PM |
| 12:00 PM | 4:00 PM | 6:00 PM | 8:00 PM | 9:00 PM | 10:00 PM | 12:00 AM |
| 2:00 PM | 6:00 PM | 8:00 PM | 10:00 PM | 11:00 PM | 12:00 AM | 2:00 AM |
| 10:00 PM | 2:00 AM | 4:00 AM | 6:00 AM | 7:00 AM | 8:00 AM | 10:00 AM |
Minutes to decimal hours
Most payroll systems want decimal hours. Add the decimal to your whole hours: 7 hours 20 minutes is 7.33.
| Minutes | Decimal hours | Minutes | Decimal hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 0.08 | 25 | 0.42 |
| 6 | 0.1 | 30 | 0.5 |
| 10 | 0.17 | 36 | 0.6 |
| 12 | 0.2 | 40 | 0.67 |
| 15 | 0.25 | 45 | 0.75 |
| 18 | 0.3 | 48 | 0.8 |
| 20 | 0.33 | 50 | 0.83 |
| 24 | 0.4 | 54 | 0.9 |
Pay for 12-hour shifts
Gross pay for one 12-hour shift, then three shifts (36 hours, no overtime) and four shifts (48 hours, 8 of them at time and a half) in one workweek, under the federal weekly overtime rule.
| Rate | 1 shift | 3 shifts (36 h) | 4 shifts (48 h) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $15.00/hr | $180.00 | $540.00 | $780.00 |
| $18.00/hr | $216.00 | $648.00 | $936.00 |
| $20.00/hr | $240.00 | $720.00 | $1,040.00 |
| $22.00/hr | $264.00 | $792.00 | $1,144.00 |
| $25.00/hr | $300.00 | $900.00 | $1,300.00 |
| $30.00/hr | $360.00 | $1,080.00 | $1,560.00 |
| $35.00/hr | $420.00 | $1,260.00 | $1,820.00 |
| $40.00/hr | $480.00 | $1,440.00 | $2,080.00 |
Clock-in time after lunch
When to punch back in for 30-minute, 45-minute and 1-hour meal breaks.
| Clock out | 30 min | 45 min | 1 hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11:30 AM | 12:00 PM | 12:15 PM | 12:30 PM |
| 12:00 PM | 12:30 PM | 12:45 PM | 1:00 PM |
| 12:30 PM | 1:00 PM | 1:15 PM | 1:30 PM |
| 1:00 PM | 1:30 PM | 1:45 PM | 2:00 PM |
Breaks, meal periods and overtime rules
Federal law does not require lunch or coffee breaks. When an employer offers short breaks, they count as hours worked and toward overtime. A meal period of 30 minutes or more is unpaid only if you are fully relieved of duty; eating at your desk while answering phones is work time. Being on call on your employer's premises counts as hours worked.
Some states require meal breaks. California requires a 30-minute meal period for work of more than 5 hours a day, and a second one after 10 hours. Illinois requires at least 20 minutes for 7½ continuous hours, no later than 5 hours after the start of work. State break requirements apply even though federal law is silent on breaks.
Time clocks may round punches to the nearest 5 minutes or to a tenth or quarter of an hour, but only if the rounding averages out so you are paid for all your time. With quarter-hour rounding, an 8:07 punch becomes 8:00 AM and 8:08 becomes 8:15 AM.
Common mistakes
- Writing 7:45 as 7.45 hours. 7 hours 45 minutes is 7.75 decimal hours. Using 7.45 underpays you 18 minutes.
- Subtracting paid breaks. Short breaks of 20 minutes or less stay in your hours worked.
- Counting overtime by the day. Federally, 10 hours on Monday isn't overtime if the week totals 40 or less. Check your state.
- Averaging two weeks. 50 hours one week and 30 the next is 10 overtime hours, not zero.
- Forgetting overnight shifts. A shift that ends after midnight needs 24 hours added to the end time.
Payroll wants decimals? The time to decimal calculator turns 7:45 into 7.75 hours and totals a weekly timesheet.
Once your hours are right, the hourly to salary calculator turns a rate into yearly pay, the pay raise calculator shows what a new rate is worth, and the PTO accrual calculator shows leave earned per hour worked. This calculator is for general information and isn't legal or payroll advice; your employer's policy and state law decide your actual pay.
Frequently asked questions
How do I count hours on a shift that crosses midnight?
Add 24 hours to the clock-out time before subtracting. 10pm to 5am is 29:00 − 22:00 = 7 hours. A shift ending exactly at midnight is the same idea: 4pm to 12am is 24:00 − 16:00 = 8 hours. Because the FLSA workweek is a fixed 168-hour period, a shift that runs past the start of a new workweek is split between the two for overtime.
How do I work out my clock-out time?
Add your paid hours plus any unpaid lunch to your start time. An 8-hour day starting at 9am with no unpaid break ends at 5:00 PM; with a 30-minute unpaid lunch it ends at 5:30 PM. Coming back from lunch works the same way: out at 12:30 PM for 45 minutes means back at 1:15 PM.
How do I calculate work hours?
Convert clock-in and clock-out to 24-hour time, subtract the start from the end, and subtract any unpaid break. If the shift crosses midnight, add 24 hours to the end time first. Divide the minutes by 60 to get decimal hours for your timesheet.
Are breaks paid?
Federal law does not require breaks. If your employer offers short breaks of about 5 to 20 minutes, the Department of Labor says they count as paid work time and toward overtime. Bona fide meal periods, typically 30 minutes or more, are not work time, unless you have to do any duties while eating.
When does overtime start?
Under the FLSA, non-exempt employees get at least 1.5× their regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek. The workweek is a fixed, recurring 168-hour period, and hours can't be averaged across two weeks. Federal law has no daily overtime; some states, such as California, do.
How is a 12-hour shift paid?
Multiply the hours by your rate: 12 hours at $25 is $300.00. Four 12-hour shifts in one workweek are 48 hours, so 8 are overtime: 40 × $25 + 8 × $37.50 = $1,300.00. Federal law doesn't pay overtime for the long day itself — only for the weekly total over 40 — though some states, such as California, have daily overtime.
How do I convert minutes to decimal hours?
Divide the minutes by 60. 15 minutes is 0.25 hours, 30 minutes is 0.5, 45 minutes is 0.75. So 7 hours 45 minutes is 7.75 hours.
Can my employer round my time clock?
Yes, federal rules accept rounding start and stop times to the nearest 5 minutes, or to the nearest tenth or quarter of an hour, as long as it averages out so you are paid for all the time you actually worked (29 CFR 785.48).
Is there a limit on how many hours I can work?
Not federally for workers 16 and older. The FLSA does not limit the hours per day or per week an employer can require; it only requires overtime pay for non-exempt workers over 40 hours a week. Rules for minors and some states and industries differ.
Sources & method
- U.S. Department of Labor — Fact Sheet #22: hours worked under the FLSA
- U.S. Department of Labor — Fact Sheet #23: overtime pay under the FLSA
- U.S. Department of Labor — breaks and meal periods
- U.S. Department of Labor — minimum meal period requirements under state law
- 29 CFR 785.48 — use of time clocks and rounding (Cornell LII)
- U.S. Department of Labor — FLSA questions and answers
Results are estimates for general information. Found an error? It helps everyone — see our methodology.