Using the Hours Worked Calculator
Our hours worked calculator is designed to help employees, freelancers, and small business owners accurately track labor time. Whether you need to calculate a single shift or verify a weekly timesheet, this tool handles the conversion from time formats to decimal hours automatically.
Proper time tracking is essential for ensuring fair compensation and maintaining compliance with labor laws. By using this calculator, you can account for unpaid breaks and calculate gross pay based on an hourly rate.
- Start and End Time
- Enter the exact time you began and finished work. The calculator supports overnight shifts; if the end time is earlier than the start time, it assumes the shift crossed midnight.
- Unpaid Break (minutes)
- Enter the total duration of lunch or rest breaks that are not compensated. This value is subtracted from the total elapsed time.
- Hourly Rate
- The amount you are paid per hour. This allows the calculator to provide an estimate of total gross earnings for the shift.
How It Works
To manually calculate hours worked, you must first determine the total elapsed minutes and then convert that figure into a decimal format that payroll systems can process. The formula used is:
Decimal Hours = (Total Minutes – Break Minutes) / 60
- Elapsed Time: Calculated by finding the difference between clock-out and clock-in times.
- Break Deduction: Standard labor practices require subtracting non-working time.
- Decimal Conversion: Because 30 minutes is 0.5 hours (30/60), decimal conversion is necessary for multiplying by an hourly wage.
Calculation Example
Example: An employee starts work at 8:30 AM and leaves at 5:15 PM, taking a 45-minute unpaid lunch break. Their hourly rate is $20.00.
Step-by-step solution:
- Convert to 24-hour time: Start = 08:30, End = 17:15.
- Calculate total minutes: (17 * 60 + 15) – (8 * 60 + 30) = 1035 – 510 = 525 minutes.
- Subtract break: 525 – 45 = 480 minutes.
- Convert to decimal: 480 / 60 = 8.00 hours.
- Calculate Pay: 8.00 * $20.00 = $160.00.
Common Questions
Does this hours worked calculator handle overnight shifts?
Yes. If you enter a start time of 10:00 PM and an end time of 6:00 AM, the calculator recognizes that the shift has crossed into the next day and will correctly calculate 8 hours of work.
How do I convert minutes to decimals manually?
Divide the number of minutes by 60. For example, 15 minutes is 0.25 hours, 30 minutes is 0.5 hours, and 45 minutes is 0.75 hours.
Why is my decimal hour different from my total minutes?
Decimal hours represent time in a base-100 system, whereas minutes are base-60. Payroll systems require base-100 (decimals) to perform multiplication with currency ($) accurately.