Hours & shifts
Work Hours Calculator
Calculate hours worked after unpaid lunch breaks. See exact minutes, decimal hours, and the full breakdown. Free for U.S. hourly workers.
Know the numbers
How to use this calculator
Enter the start and end date, then the clock times. Enter only break minutes that are unpaid. Calculate to see the total time on site, the break deduction, and the paid duration.
A worked example
9:00 AM to 5:30 PM is 8 hours 30 minutes. Subtract a 30-minute unpaid lunch to get 8 hours, 480 minutes, or 8.00 decimal hours.
The calculation
Paid minutes = end date/time − start date/time − unpaid break minutes.
Before you use the result
These are wall-clock hours. A shift crossing a daylight-saving change can have a different actual elapsed duration. Paid breaks stay in worked time; do not subtract them.
Common scenarios
Use this calculator whenever you need to verify your hours, check a paycheck, or prepare a timecard submission. The result is the same arithmetic the payroll department uses, displayed in a form you can inspect.
Calculation methodology: View formulas, limits, and corrections
Common questions about Work Hours Calculator
How do I calculate work hours for one shift?
Enter your start time, end time, and any unpaid break minutes. The calculator subtracts unpaid breaks from total time on site to give you exact paid minutes, decimal hours, and a full breakdown.
What if my shift crosses midnight?
Use the overnight shift calculator for shifts that span two calendar dates. Enter both the start and end dates explicitly.
Does this calculator handle overtime?
No — this calculator computes total paid time for a single shift. Use the overtime pay estimator to calculate regular and overtime rates based on your weekly threshold.
A little guidance, when you need it
How to Calculate Hours After Unpaid Lunch
Step-by-step guide to calculate work hours after an unpaid lunch break. Separate time on site from paid time, with a worked example for U.S. hourly workers.
Read guide Field guideHow to Calculate an Overnight Shift
How to calculate overnight shift hours that cross midnight. Use explicit calendar dates to make overnight time unambiguous for U.S. hourly workers.
Read guide