By Intious · Updated September 7, 2026
Deduct time that is genuinely unpaid under the applicable rules and policy. Do not automatically subtract every break from a shift.
Record elapsed and unpaid time separately
Keep the original clock-in and clock-out times. Put unpaid minutes in a separate field so another person can reconstruct the calculation. A 9-hour elapsed shift with 45 unpaid minutes produces 8.25 worked hours.
Avoid automatic lunch deductions
An automatic thirty-minute deduction can be wrong when someone worked through lunch or had an interrupted meal period. Correct the underlying record before calculating totals. The calculator performs arithmetic; it cannot decide whether a break qualifies as unpaid.
Check the relevant guidance
The U.S. Department of Labor distinguishes short rest breaks from qualifying meal periods. Check its hours-worked guidance and any applicable state requirements. Record facts about the actual break rather than using its name alone.
Try it with your numbers
Add clock-in and clock-out times, subtract breaks, and see regular and overtime hours.
Work Hours CalculatorOfficial guidance
U.S. Department of Labor: hours worked · U.S. Department of Labor: regular rate of pay
Next steps
- How to Calculate Work Hours Correctly
- Shift Differential Pay: Formula and Examples
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- Turn Working Days into a Monthly Capacity Budget
- Add Timesheet Durations Without Rounding Errors
- Check a Decimal-Time CSV Before a Payroll Import