Free Timecard Calculator

Free Timecard Calculator

1. 1

   Select your period

   Choose Day, Week, 2 Weeks, or Month. Weekly view is most useful since FLSA overtime resets each workweek. Set the week-start day to match your employer's payroll workweek.

2. 2

   Enter start and end times

   Enter the time you clocked in and out for each day (e.g. 08:00 and 17:30). Overnight shifts are handled automatically.

3. 3

   Deduct unpaid breaks

   Enter the total unpaid break time in minutes (e.g. 30 for a lunch break). Under the FLSA, short breaks of 20 minutes or less must be counted as compensable work time — only bona fide meal breaks of 30+ minutes where you are completely relieved of duties are unpaid.

4. 4

   Review your totals

   The calculator shows regular hours (up to 40 per week) and overtime hours separately. Compare with your pay stub to verify you're receiving at least 1.5× for overtime.

5. 5

   Enter your hourly rate

   Enter your regular hourly rate ($) to see estimated gross pay including overtime at 1.5×. Remember: your "regular rate" under the FLSA may include bonuses, commissions and other compensation beyond base pay.

FLSA overtime: the federal 40-hour rule

Under the FLSA (29 U.S.C. § 207), covered non-exempt employees must receive overtime pay at a rate of at least 1.5× their regular rate for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek. A workweek is a fixed, regularly recurring period of 168 hours — seven consecutive 24-hour periods. The employer sets when the workweek starts; it doesn't have to be Monday. Hours cannot be averaged across workweeks to avoid overtime — if you work 50 hours one week and 30 the next, you are owed overtime for the first week regardless of the 80-hour fortnight average.

Overtime pay cannot be waived by agreement between employer and employee. If your employer has promised "comp time" instead of overtime pay for private-sector work, that is generally a FLSA violation. Government employees have different rules under the FLSA.

Exempt vs. non-exempt employees

Not all employees are covered by FLSA overtime. "Exempt" employees — typically those in executive, administrative, professional, computer or outside sales roles who earn above a salary threshold ($684/week or $35,568/year as of 2024, subject to revision) — are not entitled to FLSA overtime. Whether you are exempt depends on both your salary level and your job duties, not just your job title. Misclassification of employees as exempt is one of the most common FLSA violations.

State overtime laws

Many states have overtime rules that are more protective than federal law. The most notable is California, which requires overtime pay after 8 hours in a single day (1.5×), after 12 hours in a day (2×), and for the first 8 hours on the seventh consecutive day of a workweek (1.5×). Other states with daily overtime rules include Alaska and Nevada. Where state and federal law conflict, the rule that benefits the employee most applies.

Record-keeping requirements

The FLSA requires employers to keep accurate records of hours worked and wages paid for non-exempt employees. Records must be retained for at least 2 years (3 years for payroll records). Employees are not legally required to maintain their own timesheets, but doing so is strongly recommended — in the event of a wage dispute, employees bear the burden of producing evidence. Keep personal records of your start times, end times, breaks, and total hours for at least two years.

Time Card Calculator USA — Frequently Asked Questions

How is overtime calculated in the US?

Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), overtime is any time worked over 40 hours in a single workweek, paid at a minimum of 1.5 times your regular rate of pay. There is no federal daily overtime limit. Your regular rate includes your base hourly pay plus the value of certain additional compensation (non-discretionary bonuses, shift differentials, etc.) divided by total hours worked. Example: if you earn $20/hour and work 45 hours in a week, you receive $20 × 40 = $800 for regular hours plus $30 × 5 = $150 for the 5 overtime hours, totalling $950 gross.

Does California have different overtime rules?

Yes. California Labor Code requires overtime after 8 hours in a single workday (1.5×), after 40 hours in a workweek (1.5×), after 12 hours in a single workday (2×), and for the first 8 hours on the seventh consecutive day of a workweek (1.5×). Hours beyond 8 on the seventh consecutive day are paid at 2×. California's rules are among the most protective in the country. If you live in California, check your state-specific rules — this calculator defaults to the federal 40-hour threshold, which understates overtime in California.

Am I entitled to overtime pay?

Most hourly workers are entitled to FLSA overtime. The key question is whether you are "exempt" or "non-exempt." Exempt employees — generally those in executive, administrative, professional, computer or outside sales roles who earn at least $684/week ($35,568/year) on a salary basis — are not covered by FLSA overtime. Your exemption status depends on both your salary AND your actual job duties, not your job title. Many workers are incorrectly classified as exempt. If you think you have been misclassified, consult the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (dol.gov/agencies/whd) or an employment attorney.

Can my employer give me comp time instead of overtime pay?

Generally no, not in the private sector. Under the FLSA, private-sector employers cannot substitute "compensatory time off" (comp time) for overtime pay — you must be paid at least 1.5× your regular rate for all overtime hours in cash. State and local government employers can offer comp time under specific conditions set out in the FLSA. Some employers informally offer comp time and employees accept it, but this does not relieve the employer of its legal obligation to pay overtime. If you were denied overtime pay and given comp time instead, you may have a valid wage claim.

Are meal and rest breaks paid in the US?

Under federal FLSA rules: short rest breaks (typically 5–20 minutes) must be counted as paid work time. Bona fide meal breaks of 30 minutes or more — during which you are completely relieved of all work duties — are not compensable and are not counted as hours worked. Many states have their own rest break laws. California, for example, requires a 10-minute paid rest break for every 4 hours worked and a 30-minute unpaid meal break for shifts over 5 hours. In this calculator, only deduct breaks where you are completely free from work duties.

How do I calculate my weekly hours for a biweekly paycheck?

Even if you are paid biweekly (every two weeks), overtime under the FLSA is calculated separately for each individual workweek — you cannot average hours across two weeks to reduce overtime. Use this calculator's "2 Weeks" view to see both workweeks separately. If you worked 50 hours in week 1 and 30 hours in week 2, you are owed overtime for 10 hours (50 − 40) in week 1, even though your two-week total is 80 hours. Your employer cannot offset the 10 extra hours in week 1 against the 10 short hours in week 2.