A weekly time card
The time card calculator adds up a week of work from the start and end times of each day. It deducts an unpaid break for each day worked, totals the hours, splits them into regular and overtime hours, and computes the gross pay for the week.
The formulas
For each day:
- Day length = end time − start time, plus 24 hours if the shift crosses midnight
- Hours worked = day length − unpaid break (only on days with hours)
For the week:
- Regular hours = the smaller of total hours and the overtime threshold
- Overtime hours = total hours − threshold, if positive
- Gross pay = regular hours × rate + overtime hours × rate × overtime multiplier
Leave the start and end at the same time on days off.
Worked example
Monday to Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM, with a 30-minute unpaid lunch, at $25 an hour:
- Each day: 8 h 30 min − 30 min = 8 hours.
- Week: 5 × 8 = 40 hours, all regular.
- Pay: 40 × $25 = $1,000.
If Friday runs until 10:30 PM instead, Friday counts 13 hours, the week 45 hours, and the 5 overtime hours are paid at $37.50: 40 × $25 + 5 × $37.50 = $1,187.50.
Overtime rules in the US
| Rule | Overtime |
|---|---|
| Federal (FLSA) | 1.5× after 40 hours in a workweek |
| California | 1.5× after 8 hours a day or 40 a week, 2× after 12 hours a day |
| Alaska, Nevada | Daily overtime in some cases after 8 hours |
| Exempt salaried employees | No overtime required |
A workweek is a fixed period of 168 hours, seven consecutive 24-hour days, chosen by the employer. Hours cannot be averaged over two weeks to avoid overtime.
Keeping good records
Employers must keep accurate records of hours worked by non-exempt employees. If you track your own time, note start and end times each day, along with meal breaks, rather than rough totals. Rounding to the nearest 5, 6 or 15 minutes is allowed only if it is neutral over time, not always in the employer’s favor.
Decimal hours on pay stubs
Payroll systems show hours in decimal form: 37 hours 45 minutes appears as 37.75. Use the decimal hours calculator to convert between the two formats.