Work Hours Calculator
Calculate total hours worked in a day, week, or pay period. Track time for freelancers, contractors, and hourly employees.
⏰ Productivity📐 Total Hours = End Time - Start Time - Break Time
Start time (hour, 24h format)
Start minutes
End time (hour)
End minutes
Break time (minutes)
Days this pattern
Please enter valid values.
Formula & Reference
| Variable | Formula | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Work Hours Calculator | Total Hours = End Time - Start Time - Break Time | hours |
Step-by-Step Examples
Example 1
9-to-5 Standard
9:00 AM to 5:30 PM, 30-min lunch, 5 days.
- Worked: 8.0 hours/day
- Weekly: 40 hours
✓ 8 hours/day / 40 hours/week
Example 2
Long Shift
7:00 to 19:30, 1 hour break, 3 days.
- Worked: 11.5 hours
- 3-day week: 34.5 hours
✓ 11.5 hours/shift
Example 3
Part-Time
10:00 to 14:00, no break, 4 days.
- Worked: 4.0 hours/day | Weekly: 16 hours
✓ 16 hours/week
Real-World Applications
Freelancers
Track billable hours accurately for invoicing.
Hourly Workers
Calculate weekly hours for paycheck verification.
HR Departments
Quick shift duration calculations.
Consultants
Calculate project hours and rates.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
⚠️
Not tracking breaks accurately
Federal law doesn't require meal breaks, but many states do. Only short breaks (under 20 min) must be paid; meal breaks (30+ min) don't have to be. Know your state's break rules.
⚠️
Not using 24-hour time
AM/PM confusion causes errors. Use 24h: 1 PM = 13:00, 5 PM = 17:00, 9 PM = 21:00.
⚠️
Rounding hours incorrectly
FLSA requires employers to track actual time; rounding must be neutral (equally up and down). Always-rounding-down is illegal.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many hours is full-time? ▾
The FLSA doesn't define full-time. Most employers use 32-40 hours/week. The ACA defines full-time as 30+ hours/week for benefits eligibility. 40 hours/week = 2,080 hours/year is the standard US full-time equivalent.
How many hours can you work per day legally? ▾
FLSA has no maximum hours limit for adults (except overtime pay requirements). Some states limit hours for minors. Certain regulated industries (trucking, aviation) have hours-of-service limits for safety.
Tracking freelance hours? ▾
Toggl and Clockify are free time-tracking apps for freelancers. Harvest includes invoicing. Freshbooks and QuickBooks track time and send invoices. Manual tracking: spreadsheet with start/end times and project codes.
Time zone work hour confusion? ▾
Use UTC as your master reference. EST = UTC-5 (UTC-4 in EDT). PST = UTC-8 (UTC-7 PDT). When scheduling across time zones, use tools like World Time Buddy or use calendar apps that automatically adjust.
Converting decimal hours to minutes? ▾
0.5 hours = 30 minutes. 0.25 hours = 15 minutes. 0.75 hours = 45 minutes. 1.33 hours = 1 hour 20 minutes. Multiply the decimal portion by 60 to get minutes.