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How to Calculate Hours Worked from Time Clock
Calculating hours from time clock punches involves converting hours and minutes to decimal format, subtracting unpaid breaks, and applying overtime rules. Most US employers use the FLSA 40-hour weekly overtime threshold, while California requires overtime after 8 hours daily (and double-time after 12 hours/day or 8 hours on the 7th consecutive day).
Hours Calculation Formula
Decimal Hours = (Clock Out − Clock In) − Unpaid Break
Example: 8:15 AM to 5:45 PM − 30 min break = 9.0 hours
Convert: 5:45 PM = 17:45 → 17.75 − 8.25 − 0.5 = 9.00 hours
Regular pay = min(total, 40) × rate | OT pay = max(0, total − 40) × rate × 1.5
Convert: 5:45 PM = 17:45 → 17.75 − 8.25 − 0.5 = 9.00 hours
Regular pay = min(total, 40) × rate | OT pay = max(0, total − 40) × rate × 1.5
Overtime Rules by Jurisdiction
- Federal (FLSA): Overtime after 40 hours per week at 1.5× rate. No daily overtime requirement.
- California: Overtime after 8 hours/day (1.5×) and 12 hours/day (2×), plus OT after 40 hours/week. 7th consecutive day: 1.5× first 8 hours, 2× after.
- Alaska, Nevada, Puerto Rico: Daily overtime rules similar to California.
- Most other states: Follow federal FLSA (weekly 40-hour threshold).
- Salaried exempt employees: Not entitled to overtime under FLSA if salary ≥ $684/week and job duties qualify as executive, administrative, or professional.
💡 Time Rounding: FLSA allows employers to round punch times to the nearest 5, 6, or 15 minutes, as long as rounding is neutral (equally benefits employees and employers over time). Many modern time clocks and payroll software track to the minute. Always verify your employer's rounding policy.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate hours worked from a time clock?
Convert times to 24-hour format, subtract clock-in from clock-out, subtract unpaid breaks, then convert to decimal. Example: In 8:15 AM (8.25), Out 5:45 PM (17.75). Hours = 17.75 − 8.25 = 9.5 hrs gross. Minus 30-min break = 9.0 hours. For weekly totals, sum all daily hours. Hours over 40 (or 8/day in CA) are overtime at 1.5× rate.
What is the FLSA overtime rule?
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires non-exempt employees be paid 1.5× their regular rate for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek. The workweek is any fixed 7-day period established by the employer. Overtime is calculated weekly — not daily, not bi-weekly. Exempt employees (salary ≥$684/week + duties test) are not entitled to overtime. States may have additional overtime protections (like California's daily overtime).
How do I convert hours and minutes to decimal?
Divide minutes by 60. Examples: 7 hours 30 min = 7.5; 8 hours 15 min = 8.25; 8 hours 45 min = 8.75; 9 hours 20 min = 9.33; 10 hours 6 min = 10.1. On a timesheet, always express hours as decimal for calculation. Most payroll software handles this automatically, but manual timesheets require the conversion before multiplying by hourly rate.
Are meal breaks paid or unpaid?
Under FLSA, bona fide meal periods of 30+ minutes where employees are completely relieved of duties are unpaid. Short breaks of 5–20 minutes are generally paid. State laws vary — California requires a 30-minute unpaid meal break for shifts over 5 hours AND a second meal break for shifts over 10 hours, with specific timing requirements. Employees must be able to leave the premises and not be interrupted during unpaid meal breaks.
How are bi-weekly vs weekly overtime calculated?
Overtime is always calculated on a workweek (7-day) basis under FLSA — never on a bi-weekly pay period. If you're paid bi-weekly (26 pay periods/year), overtime must still be calculated for each 7-day workweek independently. You cannot average hours across two weeks (e.g., 30 hours + 50 hours) and say no overtime was earned — the 50-hour week has 10 hours of overtime regardless of the 30-hour week.
What is the 7-minute rule for time clocks?
The 7-minute rule is a common employer rounding practice: punch times are rounded to the nearest quarter-hour (15 minutes). If an employee punches in at 7:53 (7 minutes before 8:00), they are rounded to 8:00 (no overtime). If they punch at 7:52 (8 minutes before), they round to 7:45 (they get credit for the earlier quarter-hour). This must be applied consistently and neutrally. FLSA permits rounding to 5, 6, or 15 minutes.