A time card calculator for the work week
This hours calculator works like a paper time card or a simple timesheet. For every day you enter the clock in time, the clock out time and the unpaid break or lunch. It works out the hours of each shift, the weekly total in hours and minutes, and the same total in decimal hours, which is the number payroll needs.
Need the length of a single stretch of time instead of a weekly timesheet? The Time Duration Calculator works out the time between two clock times or dates.
Night shifts are handled for you. If the end time is earlier than the start time, the shift runs past midnight, so 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM is 8 hours and not a negative number. Add your hourly rate and the calculator splits the week into regular hours and overtime and shows your gross pay.
How the hours are counted
Example: a week of 45 hours at $20 an hour. The first 40 hours pay $800, the 5 overtime hours pay $30 each, $150 in total. Gross pay for the week is $950.
Converting minutes to decimal hours
Time cards show hours and minutes, payroll uses decimals. To convert, divide the minutes by 60. Here are the common values, rounded to two decimals:
| 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 |
So 7 hours 45 minutes is 7.75 hours, and 6 hours 20 minutes is 6.33 hours. The calculator works with the exact minutes and only rounds the final number for display, so small rounding steps never add up over a week.
Rounding to the quarter hour
Many employers round clock times to the nearest 5, 6 or 15 minutes. Under federal rules that is allowed as long as it evens out over time and does not always favor the employer. With quarter hour rounding, 1 to 7 minutes past the quarter usually round down and 8 to 14 minutes round up, which is often called the 7 minute rule. If your employer rounds, enter the rounded times so your total matches your paycheck.
Overtime rules
The federal Fair Labor Standards Act requires at least 1.5 times the regular rate for every hour over 40 in a workweek for nonexempt employees. A workweek is any fixed run of seven days, so it does not have to start on Monday. Some states go further. California, for example, also requires overtime after 8 hours in a single day and double time in some cases. This calculator applies only the weekly 40 hour rule, so check your state's rules if you work long days.
How to use the hours calculator
- 1Enter the start and end time for each day you worked. Leave days off empty, and add a row if you work a split shift.
- 2Type the unpaid break or lunch in minutes. Paid breaks stay in, so leave the field at 0 for those.
- 3Add your hourly rate to see regular hours, overtime and gross pay. Copy the time card as text, download it as a CSV for a spreadsheet, or copy a link that keeps all your rows.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate hours worked?
Subtract the clock in time from the clock out time and take off any unpaid break. From 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM is 8 hours 30 minutes, minus a 30 minute lunch leaves 8 hours. Do that for every day and add the days up for the weekly total.
How do I convert minutes to decimal hours?
Divide the minutes by 60. 45 minutes is 45 ÷ 60 = 0.75 hours, so 7 hours 45 minutes is 7.75 hours. Payroll uses decimal hours because you can multiply them by the hourly rate directly: 7.75 × $20 = $155.
How does the calculator handle a night shift past midnight?
When the end time is earlier than the start time, the shift is counted into the next day. 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM is 8 hours. The whole shift is counted on the row where it starts, which is how most time cards record it.
How is overtime calculated?
Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, nonexempt employees get at least 1.5 times their regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek. 45 hours at $20 is 40 × $20 plus 5 × $30, which is $950. Some states add their own rules, for example California also pays overtime after 8 hours in a day. This calculator only applies the weekly rule.
Is the gross pay what I take home?
No. Gross pay is the amount before federal and state income tax, Social Security, Medicare and other deductions like health insurance or retirement contributions. Your paycheck will be lower than the figure shown here.