How do I calculate hours worked on a time card?

Subtract your clock-in time from your clock-out time to get gross hours. Then subtract any unpaid meal breaks. For example, clocking in at 8:00 AM and out at 5:00 PM with a 30-minute lunch gives 9 − 0.5 = 8.5 hours of work time.

When does overtime start on a weekly time card?

Under federal law (FLSA), overtime applies to all hours over 40 in a single workweek — any 7 consecutive days designated by the employer. Some states, notably California, also require daily overtime for hours over 8 in a day, or double time over 12 hours.

How is overtime pay calculated on a time card?

Total all hours for the week. Hours 1–40 are paid at the regular rate. Any hours beyond 40 are paid at 1.5× the regular rate. For example, 45 hours at $20/hr: (40 × $20) + (5 × $30) = $800 + $150 = $950 gross.

What counts as hours worked under FLSA?

The Fair Labor Standards Act counts all time an employer requires or permits the employee to work, including pre-shift prep time if it is integral and indispensable to the principal work, and post-shift activities. Short rest breaks under 20 minutes are also counted as work time.

How do I handle lunch breaks on a time card?

Bona fide meal breaks of 30 minutes or more are typically unpaid and can be deducted from total time. Short breaks under 20 minutes are counted as paid work time under federal rules. Enter your unpaid meal break duration in the Lunch field for each day.

Can I use this time card calculator for biweekly pay?

Yes — run the calculator for each of the two weeks separately. Under the FLSA, overtime is calculated on a weekly (7-day) basis, not biweekly. A 50-hour week plus a 30-hour week equals 10 overtime hours, not zero — you cannot average the two weeks.

Can employers round time card hours?

Yes — the FLSA permits employers to round employee time to the nearest 5 minutes, one-tenth of an hour (6-minute increments), or quarter-hour (15-minute increments), provided the rounding policy averages out in employees' favor over time. The "7-8 minute rule" for quarter-hour rounding means that punches between :00 and :07 round down to the nearest quarter hour, while punches between :08 and :22 round to :15. This rounding must be neutral or favor employees; consistent rounding against employees is a wage violation.

How long do employers need to keep time card records?

Under the FLSA, employers must retain payroll records — including time cards and timesheets for non-exempt employees — for at least 2 years. Some state laws require longer retention: California requires 3 years. For employees covered by government contracts (Davis-Bacon, Service Contract Act), 3-year federal retention applies. Store records in a format that can be produced for Department of Labor audits; electronic timekeeping systems typically archive automatically.

What should I do if my time card is wrong?

First, document the error by writing down the correct times immediately. Then contact your supervisor or HR department in writing (email creates a record) and request a correction before the payroll period closes. Under the FLSA, employers must pay wages for all hours worked — a time card error does not eliminate the wage obligation. If corrections are refused and you were underpaid, you can file a complaint with the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division at dol.gov or consult an employment attorney. Most states have additional wage claim procedures.

Time Card Calculator — Hours Worked & Overtime

Calculates daily and weekly hours worked from clock-in/clock-out times with lunch break deduction.

How to Use This Time Card Calculator

The time card calculator on this page adds up daily and weekly hours worked from clock-in/clock-out times, with lunch break deduction and overtime calculation. Enter your clock-in and clock-out times for each day, set your unpaid lunch break duration (default 30 minutes), and add an hourly rate to get a full pay estimate including overtime premium.

This calculator follows federal FLSA rules for weekly overtime (over 40 hours). For overtime pay calculations including state rules, see our time and a half calculator.

How to Calculate Hours Worked from a Time Card

Calculating time card hours involves three steps for each day:

Find gross hours: Clock-out time minus clock-in time
Subtract meal breaks: Remove any unpaid lunch or rest periods of 30+ minutes
Sum the week: Add all daily hours; anything over 40 is overtime

For example: Clock in at 8:00, clock out at 5:30, with a 30-minute lunch = 9.5 − 0.5 = 9.0 hours. Repeat for each day, then add for the weekly total.

Converting Clock Times to Decimal Hours

To add time card totals manually, convert minutes to decimal: divide minutes by 60. So 8 hours 45 minutes = 8 + 45/60 = 8.75 hours. Our time to decimal calculator handles this conversion quickly.

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Overtime Rules Under Federal Law (FLSA)

The Fair Labor Standards Act requires most employers to pay non-exempt employees 1.5× their regular rate for all hours over 40 in a workweek. Key points:

Workweek definition: Any fixed recurring period of 168 hours — 7 consecutive 24-hour periods. Employers choose when it starts (e.g. Monday 12:01 AM).
No daily overtime (federally): Federal law only triggers overtime at 40 hours/week. Working 10 hours one day and 6 hours the next does not create daily overtime under federal rules.
California is different: California requires overtime after 8 hours/day, and double time after 12 hours/day or over 8 on the 7th consecutive day in a workweek.
Exempt employees: Salaried employees paid above the FLSA threshold ($684/week as of 2024) may be exempt from overtime requirements if their duties qualify.

What Time Counts on a Time Card?

Under FLSA, “hours worked” includes more than just punched-in time:

Mandatory pre-shift activities: Donning protective gear, booting up equipment if required before clocking in
Short rest breaks (under 20 min): Counted as paid work time and must be included in overtime calculations
On-call time: If the employee must remain on premises or has significant restrictions, it counts
Travel time: Travel between job sites during the workday counts; commuting does not
Training time: Mandatory employer-required training counts; voluntary training outside work hours may not

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Unpaid Meal Breaks vs. Rest Breaks

Not all breaks are equal under wage and hour law:

Bona fide meal break (30+ min): May be unpaid if the employee is completely relieved of duties. Enter this in the “Lunch” field to deduct it from paid time.
Short rest break (under 20 min): Must be paid and counted as work time under federal law. Do not enter short breaks in the Lunch field.
Working through lunch: If an employee works during their scheduled meal break, that time is compensable and counts toward the 40-hour overtime threshold.

State laws may provide additional protections — California, for instance, requires a second 30-minute meal period for shifts over 10 hours.

Sources & References

Fair Labor Standards Act — Hours Worked — U.S. Department of Labor
Overtime Pay — Wage and Hour Division — U.S. Department of Labor

Time Card Calculator

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