To calculate payroll hours, record each compensable work period, subtract only qualifying unpaid breaks, convert minutes to decimal hours if needed, and total the hours within each fixed workweek. For covered, nonexempt employees, federal overtime is generally due for hours over 40 in that workweek—not over a two-week pay period. The arithmetic is straightforward; deciding which time legally counts as work and which pay-rate rules apply can require more care.
Calculate hours from clock-in and clock-out times
- Record each work interval. Capture actual start and stop times, including the time an employee returns from a meal break. A schedule alone may not reflect early starts, late finishes, interruptions, or other work performed.
- Subtract the start time from the end time. For a shift that crosses midnight, treat the stop time as occurring on the next day. For example, 10:00 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. is 8 hours and 30 minutes.
- Subtract an unpaid break only if it qualifies as unpaid. Time spent at the workplace is not automatically all compensable or all noncompensable. Determine which periods count as work under the rules applicable to the employee and jurisdiction.
- Add the work periods. Total the compensable intervals for the day, then add daily totals across the employer’s defined workweek.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Fact Sheet #22 describes hours worked under the FLSA as including time an employee is on duty or at a prescribed workplace, as well as certain travel time. It is a federal baseline, not a substitute for checking the facts and rules that apply to a particular job.
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Convert minutes to decimal hours
Payroll systems that use decimal hours require converting the minutes portion by dividing it by 60. Keep the hours and minutes separate until making the conversion:
| Minutes | Decimal portion of an hour |
|---|---|
| 15 | 0.25 |
| 30 | 0.50 |
| 45 | 0.75 |
For example, 8 hours and 30 minutes equals 8 + (30 ÷ 60), or 8.5 decimal hours. This is an arithmetic conversion, not a rule about whether the time is compensable.
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Total hours by the workweek, not by the pay period
Under federal overtime guidance, a workweek is a fixed, regularly recurring period of 168 hours—seven consecutive 24-hour periods. It can begin on any day and at any hour, and it need not match a calendar week. Use the employer’s established workweek to group hours; do not average hours across two weeks to avoid overtime in one of them.
For a covered, nonexempt employee, the general federal rule is at least 1.5 times the regular rate for hours worked over 40 in each workweek. State or local rules may add requirements, including daily overtime, so the federal threshold alone may not settle the calculation.
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Calculate overtime pay using the regular rate
For an employee paid only a single hourly rate, a basic federal overtime calculation is the overtime hours multiplied by 1.5 times that rate. But the regular rate may not equal the stated base hourly wage when compensation includes items such as bonuses, commissions, multiple rates, or piece-rate earnings.
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Choose a timekeeping method that preserves accurate records
Federal guidance does not require a particular time clock or timekeeping format. The Department of Labor says, “Any timekeeping plan is acceptable as long as it is complete and accurate,” and “Employers may use any timekeeping method they choose.” A clock, employee timesheet, or schedule with documented exceptions can work if the records capture actual compensable hours and corrections.
When choosing or reviewing a method, check whether it:
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Rounding is not a license to discard time. The Department of Labor’s Opinion Letter FLSA2026-8 addresses rounding; the governing principle is that a rounding practice must not fail over time to compensate employees properly for all actual work. Check the applicable state and local requirements before adopting a rounding policy.
Keep the required payroll and time records
For covered, nonexempt employees, federal rules require accurate records of daily and weekly hours and wages, though they do not dictate one specific timekeeping device. The Department of Labor’s Fact Sheet #21 states that payroll records generally must be kept for three years, while records used to compute wages—such as time cards—generally must be kept for two years. State or local rules may require different or longer retention periods.
Check rules beyond the federal baseline
The FLSA guidance does not resolve every payroll question. State and local law can affect overtime thresholds, meal periods, rounding, records, and wage requirements. Coverage and exemptions, tipped work, piece rates, bonuses, commissions, multiple rates, and special industries can also change the analysis. Confirm the applicable jurisdiction and employee facts, and consult a qualified payroll or legal professional when the calculation is not routine.
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