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Work Hours Calculator

Estimate paid hours, regular hours, and overtime from a shift.

Inputs

Adjust the assumptions to match your scenario. Results update instantly.

Start hourShift start time in 24-hour decimal format such as 9 or 13.5.End hourShift end time in 24-hour decimal format such as 17.5 for 5:30 PM.Unpaid breakUnpaid break minutes that should be removed from the shift length.

Results

Primary outputs and comparison insights are built from the current inputs.

Paid hours

Total paid shift hours after subtracting the unpaid break.

Regular hours

Paid hours counted up to the eight-hour regular threshold.

Overtime hours

Paid hours above the eight-hour regular threshold.

How this calculator works

The Work Hours Calculator helps hourly workers and managers estimate paid hours, regular time, and overtime from a single shift. Enter start hour, end hour, and unpaid break to estimate paid hours, regular hours, and overtime hours. The calculator updates instantly and adds a comparison table plus chart so you can test the sensitivity of the result before you use it in a decision.

Quick guide

Jump straight to the section you need, then return to the calculator.

Inputs Outputs Assumptions Tips Formulas Examples Reference table Visual breakdown References

Inputs

Shift start time in 24-hour decimal format such as 9 or 13.5.
Shift end time in 24-hour decimal format such as 17.5 for 5:30 PM.
Unpaid break minutes that should be removed from the shift length.

Outputs

Total paid shift hours after subtracting the unpaid break.
Paid hours counted up to the eight-hour regular threshold.
Paid hours above the eight-hour regular threshold.

Assumptions

Time is entered in 24-hour decimal format and the shift uses one unpaid break entry.
Overtime is modeled after eight paid hours in a shift for quick planning.

Tips

Convert minutes into decimal time carefully so the shift total stays accurate.
If your overtime rule is weekly rather than daily, use this as a shift estimate first and then total the week.

Formula guide

Use these formulas to audit the output or explain it to someone else.

2 formulas

Paid Hours = Shift Length - Unpaid Break Hours

Overtime Hours = Paid Hours - Regular Hours

Usage examples

Review a ready-made scenario, copy it, then tweak inputs to match your case.

Example

3 inputs3 outputs

Long retail shift

Inputs

Example input Start hour: 10
Example input End hour: 20
Example input Unpaid break: 45

Outputs

Example result Paid hours: 9.25
Example result Regular hours: 8
Example result Overtime hours: 1.25

A work-hours estimate is more useful when you separate paid time from overtime instead of looking at the raw shift length only.

Paid hours by shift end time

4 of 4 rows

End hour	Paid hours	Overtime hours
15.5	6	0
17.5	8	0
19.5	10	2
21.5	12	4

End time usually drives the biggest difference in a shift total, so compare a standard day with a longer day before you use the estimate.

Shift-length sensitivity

Highest: 21.5 (12)Lowest: 15.5 (6)

Sort

End hourPaid hours

Focus point

15.5

Position

#1 of 4

Original order

Share of total

16.67%

Total: 36

PositiveNegative

End time usually drives the biggest difference in a shift total, so compare a standard day with a longer day before you use the estimate.

References

Shift planning with paid hours and overtime checks
Timecard math for decimal work-hour calculations

FAQ

Common questions

What does the Work Hours Calculator do?

What inputs do I need?

Typical inputs include Shift start time in 24-hour decimal format such as 9 or 13.5., Shift end time in 24-hour decimal format such as 17.5 for 5:30 PM., Unpaid break minutes that should be removed from the shift length..

How are the results calculated?

We follow the formulas and assumptions outlined in the "How this calculator works" section. You will see outputs like Total paid shift hours after subtracting the unpaid break., Paid hours counted up to the eight-hour regular threshold., Paid hours above the eight-hour regular threshold..