Work Hours Calculator
Updated August 2026 · Free · No sign-up
Calculate hours worked between a start and end time, minus breaks. Get your total in both hours:minutes and decimal format — ready for timesheets and payroll, with overnight shifts handled automatically.
Quick answer: Hours worked = (end time − start time) − unpaid breaks. A shift from 8:30 AM to 5:15 PM with a 45-minute lunch is 8 hours 45 minutes minus 45 minutes = 8.00 hours. Convert minutes to decimal by dividing by 60 (7:45 = 7.75 hours).
How to Calculate Work Hours
- Enter your clock-in and clock-out times.
- Enter total unpaid break minutes (meal breaks — short rest breaks are usually paid and shouldn't be deducted).
- Click Calculate. Overnight shifts are detected automatically: if the end time is earlier than the start, the calculator assumes the shift crossed midnight.
Work Hours Formula
Hours Worked = (End Time − Start Time) − Unpaid Breaks
For payroll, convert to decimal: Decimal Hours = Hours + (Minutes ÷ 60). So 7 hours 45 minutes = 7.75, and 8 hours 20 minutes = 8.33. Writing 8:20 as "8.20" instead of 8.33 shortchanges 8 minutes of pay — the most common manual timesheet error.
Worked Examples
Example 1 — office day. 8:30 AM to 5:15 PM with a 45-minute lunch: gross 8h 45m − 45m = 8.00 hours.
Example 2 — overnight shift. 10:00 PM to 6:30 AM with a 30-minute break: the calculator adds 24 hours to the end time → 8h 30m − 30m = 8.00 hours. Night workers should also check their shift differential.
Example 3 — split calculation. A retail shift 11:00 AM to 7:45 PM with two 15-minute paid breaks and one 30-minute unpaid meal: only 30 minutes is deducted → 8h 45m − 30m = 8.25 hours.
What Counts as Paid Work Time?
| Activity | Paid? (US FLSA rules) |
|---|---|
| Short rest breaks (5–20 min) | Yes — cannot be deducted |
| Bona fide meal breaks (30+ min, fully relieved) | No — deductible |
| Working through lunch at your desk | Yes — not deductible even if labeled "lunch" |
| Pre/post-shift duties (setup, closing, donning gear) | Yes if integral to the job |
| Ordinary home-to-work commute | No |
| Travel between job sites during the day | Yes |
| Required training and meetings | Yes |
| On-call time (restricted to premises) | Generally yes |
Break Rules: US, UK, India
- US (federal): no law requires breaks at all — but if given, 5–20 minute breaks must be paid. About 20 states mandate meal breaks (California: 30 minutes unpaid before the end of the 5th hour, plus paid 10-minute rest breaks per 4 hours).
- UK: workers get a 20-minute rest break on shifts over 6 hours (may be unpaid), 11 hours daily rest between shifts, and a 24-hour weekly rest period.
- India: the Factories Act requires a 30-minute break after 5 hours of continuous work; total daily spread including breaks is capped (typically 10.5–12 hours by state).
Weekly Totals and Overtime Thresholds
Daily hours matter mostly because they add up to weekly overtime. Track a whole week in one place with the time card calculator, which totals seven days, deducts daily breaks, and splits pay at 40 hours automatically. Remember: hours from a second job with the same employer count toward the same 40-hour threshold, and "off the clock" replies to messages at home are legally work time if the employer knows about them — see the claims guidance in the overtime pay calculator.
Rounding Rules Employers Use
Many US employers round punches to the nearest quarter hour using the 7-minute rule: 7 minutes rounds down, 8 rounds up (8:07 → 8:00; 8:08 → 8:15). Rounding is legal only if neutral over time — systems that always round in the employer's favor violate the FLSA. Some payrolls round to 5 or 6 minutes (tenths of an hour). If your employer rounds, spot-check a few weeks of punches: consistent one-directional rounding is a wage claim pattern. Convert your exact minutes with the timesheet to decimal converter.
Standard Working Hours Around the World
| Country | Standard full-time week | Overtime trigger |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 40 hours | 1.5x after 40/week (federal) |
| United Kingdom | 35–40 hours typical | 48-hr average cap; premium by contract |
| India | 48 hours (9/day) | 2x beyond 9/day or 48/week |
| EU average | 35–40 hours | 48-hr cap under Working Time Directive |
Comparing a salaried offer against these hour norms? Convert it with the salary to hourly calculator using your real weekly hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate my work hours?
Subtract start time from end time, then subtract unpaid breaks. 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM with a 30-minute lunch is 8.5 − 0.5 = 8 hours.
How do I handle overnight shifts?
Add 24 hours to the end time when it is earlier than the start. A 10 PM to 6 AM shift is (6 + 24) − 22 = 8 hours — this calculator does it automatically.
What is 7 hours and 30 minutes in decimal?
7.5 hours. Divide the minutes by 60 (30 ÷ 60 = 0.5) and add to the hours.
Are lunch breaks paid?
US: bona fide meal breaks of 30+ minutes where you are fully relieved of duty are unpaid; short 5–20 minute breaks must be paid. UK: the statutory 20-minute break may be unpaid. If you work through lunch, that time is payable.
Does my commute count as work hours?
Ordinary home-to-work commuting does not. Travel between job sites during the workday, and travel that is itself the job (driving a route), does count.
What is the 7-minute rounding rule?
With quarter-hour rounding, punches 1–7 minutes past the mark round down and 8–14 round up. Rounding must be neutral overall — always-down rounding violates the FLSA.
How many work hours is a 9 to 5?
Eight hours gross; typically 7.5 paid hours with a 30-minute unpaid lunch, or 8 if lunch is paid. Over a week that is 37.5–40 hours.
Do pre-shift and post-shift tasks count as hours worked?
Yes, when they are integral to the job — opening the till, booting mandatory systems, safety gear changes. These minutes count toward daily totals and the overtime threshold.
How do I calculate work hours for payroll?
Compute each day (end − start − unpaid breaks), convert to decimal (minutes ÷ 60), sum the week, then apply overtime beyond 40 hours. The time card calculator automates all four steps.
✓ Formula verified • Last updated: August 20, 2026