How to use it
- Enter in and out times. Days left blank count as zero.
- Enter unpaid break minutes for each day.
- Add your hourly rate and overtime multiplier (1.5 unless your employer pays more).
The formula
Day = out − in − break
Regular hours = min(total, 40); overtime = total − 40
Pay = regular × rate + overtime × rate × 1.5
Example: Five 9-hour days with a 30-minute break are 8.5 hours each, 42.5 hours in total: 40 regular and 2.5 overtime. At $18/hour: 40 × 18 + 2.5 × 27 = $787.50.
Good to know
- Time cards are payroll records. Employers must keep them for at least 2 years under federal rules (29 CFR 516.6).
- If you take lunch as clock-out/clock-in punches, use the time card calculator with lunch.
- Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, non-exempt employees earn at least 1.5 times their regular rate for every hour over 40 in a workweek. A workweek is any fixed 7-day period your employer sets; it doesn't have to start on Monday.
Questions
How do I fill out a time card?
Write the date, your clock-in and clock-out time for each shift, and any unpaid breaks. Total the hours for each day, then for the week, and convert to decimal hours if payroll asks for it.
How do I calculate my hours for the week?
Work out each day (out − in − unpaid break), add the days together, and convert the minutes to decimals by dividing by 60.
Do employers have to pay for every minute?
Federal rules allow rounding punches to the nearest 5, 6 or 15 minutes if it averages out over time. Otherwise all time worked must be paid, including short rest breaks.
What overtime rate applies?
At least 1.5 times your regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek. Some employers or union contracts pay double time for certain hours.