Enter each work interval on the day it begins. The calculator handles a clock-out time earlier than clock-in as an overnight shift and subtracts the unpaid break you enter.
Record each shift and unpaid break
Use the actual clock-in and clock-out times for each work interval. If a day contains a split shift, add another shift instead of treating the gap as a paid break.
An unpaid meal or rest period is subtracted from the elapsed shift. If the entered break exceeds the shift length, the calculator flags the entry rather than producing negative hours.
- Add every shift to the day on which it starts.
- Use the 12-hour or 24-hour input format you prefer.
- Enter an unpaid break in minutes.
- Leave a day without shifts when no work was performed.
Overnight shifts and decimal hours
When clock-out is earlier than clock-in, the tool assumes the shift crossed midnight. For example, 22:00 to 06:00 is eight elapsed hours before any unpaid break.
Payroll systems often use decimal hours. Minutes are divided by 60, so 7 hours 30 minutes equals 7.50 hours—not 7.30 hours.
Use the overtime split as a planning setting
The default 40-hour threshold reflects a common U.S. federal weekly baseline for covered, nonexempt employees, but it is not a legal classification. State rules, exemptions, collective bargaining agreements, and an employer's workweek can produce a different result.
Adjust the threshold to match the rule or policy you are checking. Continue to the Overtime Pay Calculator when you need to review the pay calculation separately.
How this estimate is calculated
Worked minutes = clock-out − clock-in − unpaid break; weekly hours = total worked minutes ÷ 60When clock-out is earlier than clock-in, the calculation carries the shift across midnight. Regular and overtime hours are separated only by the threshold you choose; the tool does not determine legal eligibility.
Example: 42 hours 30 minutes
Five days of entered shifts total 2,550 worked minutes after unpaid breaks. Dividing by 60 gives 42.50 decimal hours. With a 40-hour threshold, the calculator classifies 40.00 hours as regular and 2.50 hours as overtime. At $20 per hour and a 1.5× multiplier, estimated gross pay is $875.
Sources behind this calculation
These primary sources support the formula and help you verify rules or terms that may change.
U.S. Department of Labor — Hours Worked Under the FLSA↗U.S. Department of Labor — Recordkeeping Requirements↗U.S. Department of Labor — Overtime Pay Requirements↗