Enter Time In/Out for Each Day
Day
Clock In
Clock Out
Enter to calculate weekly gross pay estimate
Subtracted from each day’s total time
Total Hours Worked
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⚠️ Disclaimer: These are estimates for informational purposes only. Verify all overtime calculations with your employer and a qualified payroll professional. Tax withholding and deductions are not included. State overtime rules vary significantly.
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Sources & Methodology
All overtime rules and formulas verified against the U.S. Department of Labor FLSA documentation and California Labor Code. Pay calculation formulas are standard payroll industry practice.
U.S. Department of Labor — Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
Primary source for federal overtime rules, exempt/non-exempt classifications, record-keeping requirements, and the 40-hour workweek overtime threshold. Includes guidance on meal breaks, rest periods, and the workweek definition.
California Department of Industrial Relations — Overtime Rules
Source for California daily overtime rules (8 hrs/day at 1.5x, 12 hrs/day at 2x), the 7th consecutive day rule, and California-specific meal break requirements that differ from federal FLSA standards.
DOL Fact Sheet #22 — Hours Worked Under FLSA
Source for meal break and rest period rules, compensable vs non-compensable time, and the FLSA definition of hours worked for overtime calculation purposes.
Daily Hours = (Clock Out − Clock In) − Unpaid Break Minutes ÷ 60
Weekly Total = Sum of all daily hours
Overtime = Max(0, Total − Threshold) × Rate × OT Multiplier
Example: Clock in 8:15 AM, clock out 5:45 PM, 30-min unpaid lunch.
Hours = (17.75 − 8.25) − 0.5 = 9.00 hours
5 days × 9.0 hrs = 45 total. Regular: 40 hrs. Overtime: 5 hrs × 1.5
Hours = (17.75 − 8.25) − 0.5 = 9.00 hours
5 days × 9.0 hrs = 45 total. Regular: 40 hrs. Overtime: 5 hrs × 1.5
Last reviewed: April 2026
How to Calculate Hours Worked from a Time Clock — FLSA & Overtime Guide
Calculating hours from time clock punches is simpler than it looks. The core process is three steps: convert clock times to decimal hours, subtract unpaid break time, and apply the right overtime rule for your state. Most US employers follow the FLSA 40-hour weekly threshold, but California and a handful of other states add daily overtime rules that can affect pay even when the weekly total stays under 40 hours.
The Hours Calculation Formula
Daily Hours = (Clock Out − Clock In) − Break Minutes ÷ 60
Converting to decimal: Divide minutes by 60.
8:00 AM to 5:30 PM with 30-min break: 17.5 − 8.0 − 0.5 = 9.00 hrs
8:15 AM to 5:45 PM with 30-min break: 17.75 − 8.25 − 0.5 = 9.00 hrs
9:00 AM to 6:20 PM with 30-min break: 18.33 − 9.0 − 0.5 = 8.83 hrs
8:00 AM to 5:30 PM with 30-min break: 17.5 − 8.0 − 0.5 = 9.00 hrs
8:15 AM to 5:45 PM with 30-min break: 17.75 − 8.25 − 0.5 = 9.00 hrs
9:00 AM to 6:20 PM with 30-min break: 18.33 − 9.0 − 0.5 = 8.83 hrs
Overtime Rules by Jurisdiction
Understanding which overtime rule applies to you is the most important step in verifying your paycheck. Federal law (FLSA) only looks at the weekly total. California and a few other states also look at daily totals — meaning you can earn overtime even if you work exactly 8 hours every day of a 5-day week (40 hours total) if any single day goes over 8 hours.
| Jurisdiction | Daily OT Threshold | Weekly OT Threshold | Double Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal (FLSA) | None | 40 hrs/week at 1.5x | Not required |
| California | 8 hrs/day at 1.5x | 40 hrs/week at 1.5x | After 12 hrs/day or 8 hrs on 7th day |
| Alaska | 8 hrs/day at 1.5x | 40 hrs/week at 1.5x | Not required |
| Nevada | 8 hrs/day (if wage <1.5x min) | 40 hrs/week at 1.5x | Not required |
| Most other states | None | 40 hrs/week at 1.5x | Not required |
Converting Minutes to Decimal Hours
Payroll always works in decimal hours, not hours and minutes. The conversion is simply minutes divided by 60. This is the single most common error on manual timesheets — someone multiplies instead of divides, or uses the wrong decimal, and the whole week's pay is off.
| Clock Time | Decimal | Clock Time | Decimal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7h 00m | 7.00 | 7h 30m | 7.50 |
| 8h 00m | 8.00 | 8h 15m | 8.25 |
| 8h 30m | 8.50 | 8h 45m | 8.75 |
| 9h 00m | 9.00 | 9h 20m | 9.33 |
| 10h 00m | 10.00 | 10h 06m | 10.10 |
💡 Time Rounding: FLSA allows employers to round punch times to the nearest 5, 6, or 15 minutes, as long as rounding is neutral over time — it must equally benefit employees and employers. The 7-minute rule (rounding to the nearest quarter-hour) is the most common implementation. Always check your employer’s rounding policy to verify your timecard is accurate.
How Break Deductions Work in Payroll
Only unpaid break time is subtracted from hours worked. Under FLSA, a bona fide meal period of 30 minutes or more during which the employee is completely relieved of all duties is unpaid. Short rest breaks of 5 to 20 minutes are paid and must count as work time. If an employee works through an unpaid lunch break, that time becomes compensable and must be included in total hours worked — a common wage issue that employers often overlook.
Weekly Pay Calculation with Overtime
Once you have total weekly hours, the pay calculation is straightforward. Regular hours earn the base rate. Overtime hours earn the overtime premium on top. The most common mistake is applying overtime incorrectly to the entire check rather than just the overtime hours.
| Total Hours | Regular Hrs | OT Hours | Gross Pay at $18/hr (1.5x OT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 40 | 0 | $720.00 |
| 45 | 40 | 5 | $855.00 ($720 + $135 OT) |
| 50 | 40 | 10 | $990.00 ($720 + $270 OT) |
| 55 | 40 | 15 | $1,125.00 ($720 + $405 OT) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Convert to 24-hour decimal format, subtract clock-in from clock-out, then subtract unpaid break time. Example: In 8:15 AM = 8.25, Out 5:45 PM = 17.75. Hours = 17.75 minus 8.25 minus 0.5 break = 9.00 hours. Sum all daily hours for the weekly total. Hours over 40 per week or 8 per day in California are overtime at 1.5 times rate.
The Fair Labor Standards Act requires non-exempt employees to be paid 1.5 times their regular rate for all hours over 40 in a workweek. Overtime is calculated weekly, not daily or bi-weekly. Exempt employees earning at least $684 per week who meet the duties test are not entitled to overtime under federal law.
Divide minutes by 60 and add to the hours. Examples: 7h 30m = 7.5, 8h 15m = 8.25, 8h 45m = 8.75, 9h 20m = 9.33, 10h 6m = 10.1. This calculator handles the conversion automatically from your time inputs.
Under FLSA, meal periods of 30 or more minutes where employees are completely relieved of duties are unpaid. Rest breaks of 5 to 20 minutes are generally paid and must count as work time. California requires a paid 10-minute rest break for every 4 hours worked and a 30-minute unpaid meal break for shifts over 5 hours. If an employee works through a scheduled unpaid break, that time must be compensated.
Overtime is always calculated on a workweek 7-day basis under FLSA, never on a bi-weekly pay period. If you work 30 hours one week and 50 hours the next, the 50-hour week has 10 overtime hours even if the average is 40. Employers cannot average hours across pay periods to avoid paying overtime.
Punch times are rounded to the nearest quarter-hour (15 minutes). Punching in 1 to 7 minutes after a quarter-hour rounds up to that quarter. Punching in 8 to 14 minutes after rounds back to the earlier quarter. FLSA permits 5, 6, or 15-minute rounding as long as it is applied consistently and neutrally over time.
California requires overtime after 8 hours in a day at 1.5 times rate and after 12 hours in a day at 2 times rate. It also requires overtime after 40 hours in a week. On the 7th consecutive workday in a workweek, all hours up to 8 are paid at 1.5 times and all hours beyond 8 are paid at 2 times the regular rate.
Yes. In most US states employers can require overtime and may discipline or terminate employees who refuse. They must still pay the legally required overtime rate. Some states and union contracts limit mandatory overtime, particularly in healthcare. There is no federal law capping total hours for adult employees.
Under FLSA, employers must keep payroll records for at least 3 years and time records (time cards, schedules) for at least 2 years. Records must include employee name, hours worked each day and week, total weekly earnings, overtime earnings, and total wages paid each pay period.
Compensatory time is paid time off given instead of overtime cash. Under FLSA, comp time is generally only permitted for state and local government employees, not private sector workers. Government employees can receive 1.5 hours of comp time per overtime hour worked, up to 240 hours maximum accrual (480 for public safety).
Non-exempt employees are entitled to minimum wage and overtime protections under FLSA. Exempt employees are excluded from overtime requirements if they earn at least $684 per week and their job duties qualify as executive, administrative, professional, outside sales, or computer employee exemptions. Both the salary level test and duties test must be met.
For salaried non-exempt employees, calculate the regular rate by dividing weekly salary by total hours worked. Then add 0.5 times the regular rate for each overtime hour (the fluctuating workweek method) or pay 1.5 times the regular rate. The correct method depends on the employment agreement. Under the fluctuating workweek method, overtime pay decreases as hours increase since the salary already covers all hours worked.
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