How to calculate hours worked
Work out a day's hours from a start time, an end time and a break, then add the days up. Here is the method, with one example worked step by step.
Example: 8:45 AM to 5:15 PM with a 45-minute unpaid lunch is 7 h 45 min (7.75 hours). Five days like that is 38 h 45 min (38.75 hours).
Estimate based on what you entered. Not legal or payroll advice; check it against your employer's records.
How to use it
- Write down the start and end time for the day.
- Subtract the start time from the end time to get the time on site.
- Subtract any unpaid break.
- Repeat for each day and add the days together.
The method in four parts
1. Find the time between start and end
Count from the start time to the end time. Counting is easiest in minutes after midnight. In the example, 8:45 AM is 525 minutes after midnight and 5:15 PM is 1035 minutes after midnight. The difference is 510 minutes, or 8 h 30 min.
2. Subtract unpaid breaks
Take away the 45-minute lunch: 510 minus 45 is 465 minutes, which is 7 h 45 min. Only subtract time that is unpaid. Time between a punch out and the next punch in is unpaid on a HoursPad card, so a second in and out for lunch gives the same answer as typing the break.
3. Add up the days
Add each day's minutes. Do not add the hours and minutes columns as if they were decimals: 7 hours 45 minutes plus 7 hours 45 minutes is 15 hours 30 minutes, not 14.90.
4. Convert to decimal if payroll needs it
If payroll wants hours as a decimal, divide the minutes by 60: 45 minutes is 0.75 of an hour. The minutes to decimal tool does this for you, and the payroll conversion guide shows the full table.
Shifts that cross midnight
If the end time is earlier on the clock than the start time, the shift ran past midnight. Add 24 hours (1,440 minutes) to the end time before you subtract. A shift from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM is 6:00 AM plus 24 hours, minus 10:00 PM, which is 8 hours. HoursPad counts that shift on the day it started. See the overnight shifts guide.
What the official sources say about breaks
Whether a break counts as work time is not arithmetic, so here is what the U.S. Department of Labor's regulations say. HoursPad only subtracts the break minutes you type; it does not decide for you which breaks are paid.
- Under federal regulations, bona fide meal periods are not worktime; the employee must be completely relieved from duty, and ordinarily 30 minutes or more is long enough.
- Under federal regulations, short rest periods of about 5 to 20 minutes are counted as hours worked.
Do it faster
Type the times into the hours calculator for one shift, or the time card calculator with lunch for a whole week. To check how a week adds up against 40 hours, read how overtime works.
Questions
How do I calculate hours worked between two times?
Subtract the start time from the end time, then subtract any unpaid break. If the end time is earlier than the start time, the shift crossed midnight, so add 24 hours to the end time first.
How do I add up hours and minutes for a week?
Add the hours together, add the minutes together, and then turn every 60 minutes into one hour. Or work in minutes for each day, add those, and divide the total by 60 at the end.
Do I include my lunch break?
Take out the minutes of any break that is unpaid. Leave in any break that is paid. Ask your employer which kind you have. HoursPad subtracts the break minutes you type and does not decide this for you.
How do I turn hours and minutes into a decimal for pay?
Divide the minutes by 60 and add them to the hours. For example, 40 minutes is 40 divided by 60, which is 0.67 of an hour, so 7 hours 40 minutes is 7.67 hours.
Official sources
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29 CFR § 785.19 Meal (opens in new tab), Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR).
“Bona fide meal periods are not worktime. Bona fide meal periods do not include coffee breaks or time for snacks. These are rest periods. The employee must be completely relieved from duty for the purposes of eating regular meals. Ordinarily 30 minutes or more is long enough for a bona fide meal period.”
Checked November 11, 2026. Rules change; verify with the source. -
29 CFR § 785.18 Rest (opens in new tab), Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR).
“Rest periods of short duration, running from 5 minutes to about 20 minutes, are common in industry. They promote the efficiency of the employee and are customarily paid for as working time. They must be counted as hours worked.”
Checked November 11, 2026. Rules change; verify with the source.
These are summaries of what the official sources say, not legal advice. Laws change and exceptions apply. Check with your employer or your state labor department about your own job.