How to calculate hours worked
- Write the start and end times in 24-hour time, so 5:15 PM becomes 17:15.
- Subtract the start from the end. If the end is smaller, the shift ran past midnight: add 24 hours first.
- Subtract any unpaid break.
- For decimal hours, read the Decimal figure in the result, or convert any time with the decimal hours calculator.
Hours worked = end time − start time − unpaid break
Worked examples
| Shift | Working | Hours | Decimal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, no break | 17:00 − 9:00 | 8:00 | 8.00 |
| 8:45 AM to 5:15 PM, 30 min unpaid lunch | 8:30 − 0:30 | 8:00 | 8.00 |
| 11:00 PM to 7:00 AM, overnight | 7:00 + 24:00 − 23:00 | 8:00 | 8.00 |
| 7:00 AM to 1:45 PM, 30 min unpaid lunch | 6:45 − 0:30 | 6:15 | 6.25 |
To add shifts, add the minutes first. The second and fourth shifts above are 480 + 375 = 855 minutes, which is 14:15.
When does my shift end?
Enter when you start, how many hours you need to work and your unpaid break. The finish time is the start plus both.
What counts as hours worked
Federal rules separate short rest breaks from meal periods, and that decides what you enter as an unpaid break.
- Rest breaks of about 5 to 20 minutes, such as coffee breaks, count as hours worked and are paid. Do not subtract them.
- Meal periods are not work time when you are completely relieved of duty for the purpose of eating. Ordinarily 30 minutes or more is long enough.
- Eating while working is work time. The rule's own example is an office employee who has to eat at their desk.
Some states require meal or rest breaks, or pay for missed ones. This calculator only takes off the break you enter.
29 CFR 785.18, 785.19.
Questions
How many hours is 9 to 5 with a lunch break?
7 hours 30 minutes, or 7.50 hours, if the lunch is 30 minutes and unpaid.
Is a 12-hour shift with two 30-minute breaks 11 hours?
Yes, if both are unpaid meal breaks: 12:00 − 1:00 = 11:00, or 11.00 hours.
Can I add up shifts from different days?
Yes. Add a shift for each one and the total adds them all. It does not sort them into workweeks or count overtime; the time card calculator does that for a week.