Subtract the start time from the end time, take off your unpaid break, and add up the days: 9:00 to 17:00 with a 30 minute break is 7 h 30 min, and five of them make 37.5 hours. Enter up to seven days and an hourly rate to see your total hours and pay.
The formula
One day
paid time = (end − start) − unpaid breakNight shift
if the end is before the start, add 24 hours to the endThe week
total hours = sum of the days' paid minutes ÷ 60 · pay = hours × hourly rateTimes are exact to the minute, and a day with its start and end left blank counts as a day off. For what counts as paid working time in the United States, see the Department of Labor's Fact Sheet #22, Hours Worked Under the FLSA.
Worked example
A night shift of 22:00 to 06:00 with no break is 8 hours, because 06:00 is the next morning.
When to use it, and the mistakes to avoid
Use it to check a timesheet, to fill in a time card, to work out freelance hours for an invoice, or to see whether a week adds up to the hours you are contracted for.
- Counting unpaid breaks as work. Enter only the unpaid time as the break.
- Reading 7.30 as 7 hours 30 minutes. In decimals 7.5 is 7 hours 30 minutes, and 7.3 is 7 hours 18.
- Filling in only one of start and end. Give both, or leave both blank for a day off.
- Splitting a night shift across two days. Enter it once, on the day it starts.
- Expecting overtime. This is straight time; add your own overtime rule.
FAQ
How do I calculate hours worked?
Subtract the start time from the end time, then subtract unpaid breaks. 9:00 to 17:00 is 8 hours, and a 30 minute break leaves 7 hours 30 minutes, which is 7.5 as a decimal. Add the days together for the week. This calculator does each day and the total for you.
How do I enter a night shift that runs past midnight?
Enter the real start and end times. If the end time is earlier than the start, the calculator counts it as the next day, so 22:00 to 06:00 is 8 hours. The shift is counted on the day it starts. An end time exactly equal to the start counts as zero, so type a 24-hour day as 00:00 to 23:59.
Why are decimal hours different from hours and minutes?
Because there are 60 minutes in an hour, not 100. 7 hours 45 minutes is 7.75 hours, and 7 hours 20 minutes is 7.33 hours. Payroll usually multiplies decimal hours by the hourly rate, so the calculator shows both, and pays from the exact minutes rather than the rounded hours.
Should my break be counted as paid time?
It depends on your employer and your location. Under US federal law, short rest breaks of about 20 minutes or less are generally paid, while a genuine meal period of 30 minutes or more, when you are completely off duty, generally does not have to be. State law and your contract can differ. Enter only the unpaid break time here.
Does this work out overtime?
No. Overtime rules differ by country, state and contract: the point where it starts, the rate, and whether it is counted by day or by week. The calculator gives total hours and straight-time pay, and you can apply your own overtime rule to the hours over the threshold.