Work Hours Calculator
Working out the hours in a shift is a simple subtraction, but unpaid breaks, overnight shifts, and decimal-versus-clock hours trip people up. This calculator takes your clock-in and clock-out times, subtracts the unpaid break minutes you enter, and returns the paid hours both as a decimal and in hours and minutes. If the shift crosses midnight it adds a day automatically so the result stays positive. Enter an hourly rate and it also estimates gross pay for the shift before tax, giving you a quick check against a timesheet or paycheck.
Work hours formula
elapsed minutes = clock out - clock in (add 1440 if negative)
paid minutes = elapsed minutes - unpaid break
paid hours = paid minutes / 60
gross pay = paid hours * hourly rate
If clock-out is before clock-in the shift is treated as overnight by adding 24 hours. The unpaid break is subtracted from the elapsed time to give paid time, which drives both the hours and the gross-pay estimate.
Work hours notes
- Short rest breaks under about 20 minutes are usually paid under the FLSA.
- Bona fide meal periods, usually 30 minutes or more, are usually unpaid.
- Overnight shifts are handled by adding a day when clock-out precedes clock-in.
- Gross pay is a single-rate, pre-tax estimate; it excludes overtime premiums.
- Overtime under the FLSA is based on the workweek, not a single day.
Work hours: frequently asked questions
How do I calculate hours worked in a day?
Subtract your clock-in time from your clock-out time to get the elapsed hours, then subtract any unpaid break minutes. For example, clocking in at 9:00 and out at 17:30 is 8.5 hours, and a 30-minute unpaid lunch leaves 8.0 paid hours.
What if my shift crosses midnight?
If the clock-out time is earlier than the clock-in time, the calculator assumes the shift runs past midnight and adds 24 hours so the result is correct. A shift from 22:00 to 06:00 is treated as 8 hours rather than a negative value.
Are breaks paid or unpaid?
Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, short rest breaks of around 5 to 20 minutes are generally counted as paid work time, while bona fide meal periods of usually 30 minutes or more are unpaid. Enter only the unpaid break minutes so paid time is computed correctly.
How is gross pay estimated?
Gross pay is the paid hours multiplied by the hourly rate you enter. It is a straight estimate before tax, overtime premiums, and other deductions, which depend on your jurisdiction and employer. Set the rate to zero if you only want the hours.
Does this handle overtime rates?
No. This tool computes straight-time hours and pay at a single rate. For time-and-a-half on hours over 40 in a week, use a dedicated overtime calculator, since the federal overtime rules apply to the workweek rather than a single day.
Official sources
- U.S. Department of Labor: Fair Labor Standards Act.
- Electronic Code of Federal Regulations: eCFR home (29 CFR Part 785, hours worked).
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 17 June 2026. See our methodology.