Free Time Card Calculator with Overtime
Calculate weekly hours, breaks, and overtime pay instantly. Export to CSV or print your timesheet for payroll. No signup required.
🚀 Quick Start Guide
Enter Your Times
Add clock in/out times for each day and break duration
Set Your Rate
Enter your hourly rate to calculate total pay
Export Results
Download CSV or print your timesheet
| Day | Clock In | Clock Out | Break (min) | Total Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 0.00 | |||
| Tuesday | 0.00 | |||
| Wednesday | 0.00 | |||
| Thursday | 0.00 | |||
| Friday | 0.00 |
Hours Distribution
Daily Breakdown
Pay Breakdown
💡 Tip: Overtime is calculated at 1.5× your hourly rate for hours over 40 per week
What is a Time Card?
A time card (also called a timesheet or time clock card) is a document used to track the number of hours an employee works during a specific pay period. Traditionally, time cards were physical cards that employees would insert into a mechanical time clock to stamp their arrival and departure times. Today, most time cards are digital, but the core purpose remains the same: accurately recording work hours for payroll processing.
Time cards typically include several key pieces of information: the employee's name, the date and time they clocked in and out, any break periods taken, and the total hours worked. This data is essential for calculating gross pay, ensuring compliance with labor laws, and maintaining accurate employment records. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, employers are required under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to maintain accurate records of hours worked by non-exempt employees.
Modern time card calculators, like the one above, automate the complex math involved in calculating total hours, accounting for breaks, and computing overtime pay. This not only saves time but also reduces errors that can lead to payroll disputes, compliance violations, or costly corrections. For small businesses and freelancers, accurate time tracking can be the difference between profitability and financial losses.
Time to Decimal Conversion Guide
Most payroll systems require time to be entered in decimal format rather than hours and minutes. Use this conversion table as a quick reference:
| Minutes | Decimal | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 15 minutes | 0.25 hours | 8:15 = 8.25 hours |
| 30 minutes | 0.50 hours | 8:30 = 8.50 hours |
| 45 minutes | 0.75 hours | 8:45 = 8.75 hours |
| 10 minutes | 0.17 hours | 8:10 = 8.17 hours |
| 20 minutes | 0.33 hours | 8:20 = 8.33 hours |
| 40 minutes | 0.67 hours | 8:40 = 8.67 hours |
| 50 minutes | 0.83 hours | 8:50 = 8.83 hours |
Quick Formula: To convert minutes to decimal, divide minutes by 60. For example: 37 minutes ÷ 60 = 0.62 hours.
How to Calculate Overtime Pay
Standard Overtime Calculation
Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), non-exempt employees must be paid overtime at a rate of 1.5 times their regular hourly rate for any hours worked over 40 hours in a workweek.
Example Calculation:
- • Regular hourly rate: $20.00/hour
- • Hours worked this week: 45 hours
- • Regular hours (first 40): 40 hours × $20 = $800
- • Overtime hours (over 40): 5 hours × $30 (1.5 × $20) = $150
- • Total gross pay: $950
State-Specific Overtime Rules
While federal law sets the baseline, some states have more employee-friendly overtime requirements. Here are notable variations:
California
California requires overtime pay (1.5×) for hours over 8 in a single day, over 40 in a week, or for the first 8 hours on the 7th consecutive workday. Double-time (2×) is required for hours over 12 in a single day or hours over 8 on the 7th consecutive workday.
Colorado
Colorado requires overtime pay (1.5×) for hours over 12 in a single workday or over 40 in a workweek. Additionally, employees working on the 7th day of a workweek are entitled to overtime.
Alaska
Alaska requires overtime pay (1.5×) for hours over 8 in a single day or over 40 in a workweek—whichever results in greater compensation for the employee.
Nevada
Nevada requires overtime pay (1.5×) for hours over 8 in a 24-hour period if the employee's regular wage is less than 1.5× the state minimum wage. Otherwise, standard 40-hour weekly overtime applies.
⚠️ Important Note on Exempt vs. Non-Exempt
Not all employees are entitled to overtime pay. Exempt employees (typically salaried workers in executive, administrative, professional, or outside sales roles earning above a certain threshold) are not entitled to overtime under FLSA. As of 2025, the salary threshold is $844/week ($43,888/year). Always verify current regulations and consult your state labor department for specific requirements.
Industry-Specific Time Card Applications
🏗️ Construction & Skilled Trades
Construction workers often need to track time across multiple job sites and account for travel time. Time cards must be extremely accurate for compliance with prevailing wage laws and certified payroll requirements on government contracts. Many construction companies require separate time tracking for each project to allocate costs correctly and bill clients.
Special Considerations: Union contracts may require double-time on Sundays or holidays, show-up pay minimums, and specific break period requirements. The Davis-Bacon Act requires contractors on federal projects to pay prevailing wages, making accurate time tracking critical for compliance.
🏥 Healthcare & Hospitals
Healthcare facilities often operate 24/7 with complex shift schedules. Nurses and medical staff frequently work 12-hour shifts, rotating nights, and may be entitled to shift differentials (additional pay for evening, night, or weekend shifts). On-call time may also need to be tracked differently than active working hours.
Special Considerations: The 8 and 80 rule allows hospitals to calculate overtime based on 8 hours per day or 80 hours in a 14-day period. Some states (like California) have additional requirements for mandatory rest breaks between shifts to prevent nurse fatigue.
🍽️ Restaurants & Hospitality
Restaurant employees face unique challenges with time tracking. Servers often work split shifts (e.g., lunch 11am-2pm, dinner 5pm-10pm) and may receive tips that affect their effective hourly rate. Tip credit rules allow employers to pay tipped employees a lower base wage ($2.13/hour federal minimum) as long as tips bring them to the regular minimum wage.
Special Considerations: All time spent performing tip-producing work and related duties (side work like rolling silverware or refilling condiments) must be tracked. Time spent on non-tipped tasks (like extensive cleaning) may require payment at full minimum wage. Pooled tip arrangements must also be carefully documented.
⚖️ Legal Services & Consulting
Attorneys, consultants, and professional service providers need to distinguish between billable and non-billable hours. While paralegals and support staff typically track time for payroll purposes, partners and associates track time primarily for client billing. Legal time is often billed in 6-minute (0.1 hour) increments.
Special Considerations: Trust accounting rules require accurate time records for billing clients. Different practice areas may have different billing rates. Time spent on administrative tasks, marketing, or continuing legal education is typically non-billable but still must be tracked for firm management purposes.
🛒 Retail & Customer Service
Retail employees often work variable schedules that change week to week based on store traffic patterns. Part-time workers may be scheduled for closing shifts (with late clock-outs after closing procedures) or opening shifts (arriving early to prepare the store). Time theft through buddy punching (one employee clocking in for another) is a common concern.
Special Considerations: "Predictive scheduling" laws in some cities require advance notice of schedules and premium pay for last-minute changes. Retail managers must track time carefully during busy seasons (holidays) when overtime is common but often unbudgeted.
Time Card Calculator vs. Excel: Which is Better?
Many small businesses and freelancers wonder whether they should use a dedicated time card calculator or simply track hours in Excel. Here's a detailed comparison:
| Feature | Time Card Calculator | Excel Spreadsheet |
|---|---|---|
| Ease of Use | ✓ No setup required, instant calculations | ✗ Requires formulas and formatting |
| Automatic Overtime | ✓ Calculated automatically at 1.5× | △ Must create complex IF formulas |
| Visual Analytics | ✓ Charts and graphs built-in | △ Can create charts but requires setup |
| Error Prevention | ✓ Validation prevents common mistakes | ✗ Easy to make formula errors |
| Mobile Access | ✓ Works on any device with browser | △ Requires Excel or Google Sheets app |
| Cost | ✓ Free, no software required | △ Free (Google Sheets) or $70/year (Excel) |
| Customization | △ Limited to built-in features | ✓ Highly customizable |
| Historical Data | △ Limited storage (browser cache) | ✓ Unlimited history |
💡 Best Practice Recommendation
For quick calculations and one-time use, a time card calculator is ideal. For ongoing payroll management with multiple employees and historical tracking needs, Excel or dedicated time tracking software is better. Many businesses use both: calculators for quick checks and spreadsheets for record-keeping.
5 Common Time Card Mistakes to Avoid
1. Forgetting to Deduct Break Time
The Mistake: Calculating total hours as simply "clock out time minus clock in time" without accounting for unpaid lunch breaks.
The Fix: Always subtract break time from total hours. For example, if you work 9am-5pm with a 30-minute lunch, that's 7.5 hours, not 8 hours. Under FLSA, breaks under 20 minutes must be paid, but meal periods of 30+ minutes can be unpaid if the employee is completely relieved of duties.
2. Calculating Overtime on Individual Days Instead of the Week
The Mistake: Paying overtime for any day over 8 hours, even if the weekly total is under 40 hours.
The Fix: Under federal FLSA, overtime is based on the 40-hour workweek, not the 8-hour workday. If you work 10 hours Monday but only 6 hours Tuesday-Friday (38 hours total), you're not entitled to overtime federally. Exception: Some states like California have daily overtime requirements.
3. Rounding Time Incorrectly
The Mistake: Always rounding down (8:07 becomes 8:00) or rounding to favor the employer.
The Fix: The DOL allows rounding to the nearest 5, 6, 10, or 15 minutes, but it must be neutral over time. Use the "7-minute rule": minutes 1-7 round down, 8-14 round up to 15. So 8:07 = 8:00, but 8:08 = 8:15. Systematically rounding in the employer's favor violates FLSA.
4. Not Tracking "Off-the-Clock" Work
The Mistake: Failing to count time spent answering emails before/after shift, attending mandatory meetings, or donning protective equipment.
The Fix: All time that employees are "suffered or permitted to work" must be compensated. This includes pre-shift preparation, post-shift cleanup, mandatory training, and work-related activities outside normal hours. Employers cannot avoid paying for this time by prohibiting it without also preventing it from occurring.
5. Misclassifying Employees as Exempt
The Mistake: Assuming that paying an employee a salary automatically makes them exempt from overtime.
The Fix: Exempt status requires meeting both salary and duties tests. As of 2025, employees must earn at least $844/week ($43,888/year) AND primarily perform executive, administrative, or professional duties. Simply calling someone a "manager" or paying them a salary doesn't make them exempt if they don't meet the duties test.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate overtime for employees who work multiple jobs?
If an employee works multiple jobs for the same employer, all hours must be combined to calculate overtime. If they work for completely separate employers, each employer calculates overtime independently based only on hours worked for them. However, if two businesses are considered "joint employers" (common ownership, shared control), hours may need to be combined. Consult with an employment attorney if you're uncertain.
Can employers require employees to work overtime?
Yes, under federal law and most state laws, employers can require non-exempt employees to work overtime. There is no limit on the number of hours an adult employee can work in a week (minors have restrictions). However, employees must be paid overtime rates for all hours over 40. Refusing mandatory overtime can be grounds for discipline or termination. Some union contracts or individual employment agreements may limit mandatory overtime.
What is "comp time" and can employers offer it instead of overtime pay?
Compensatory time ("comp time") is paid time off given instead of overtime pay. Private sector employers cannot offer comp time to non-exempt employees under FLSA—overtime hours must be paid at 1.5× the regular rate. Only government employers can offer comp time, and even then, there are strict rules. Offering comp time instead of overtime pay to private sector workers is a violation of federal law.
How long must employers keep time card records?
Under the FLSA, employers must keep time cards and payroll records for at least 3 years. Some records (like time sheets showing daily hours worked) must be kept for at least 2 years. State laws may require longer retention periods. For example, California requires 3 years for wage statements and 4 years for time records. The IRS also recommends keeping payroll tax records for at least 4 years. When in doubt, keep records longer rather than disposing of them prematurely.
Do salaried employees need to fill out time cards?
It depends on whether they're exempt or non-exempt. Salaried non-exempt employees must track hours to ensure proper overtime payment. Salaried exempt employees generally don't need to track hours for payroll purposes, but many employers still require it for project management, client billing, or leave tracking. Even if not legally required, tracking hours helps businesses understand productivity and capacity.
What happens if an employee forgets to clock in or out?
Employers must still pay for all hours worked, even if not properly recorded. The employer should work with the employee to reconstruct the hours based on available evidence (supervisor observations, email timestamps, security logs, etc.). The employee should initial any time card corrections. Repeated failures to clock in/out can be addressed through disciplinary action, but the hours must still be paid. Never withhold pay for unrecorded hours.
Can employers edit employee time cards?
Employers can make corrections to time cards, but must do so in good faith to reflect actual hours worked. Any changes should be documented and communicated to the employee. The employee should acknowledge corrections in writing. Systematically editing time cards to reduce hours or avoid overtime payments is wage theft and violates FLSA. If disputes arise, employees have the right to file complaints with the Department of Labor.
What is the difference between a time card and a time sheet?
The terms are often used interchangeably, but traditionally: A time card is a physical card with clock-in/out stamps from a mechanical time clock. A time sheet is a manually completed record where employees write their hours. Today, both terms refer to any system (paper, digital, or automated) used to track employee work hours. The functional purpose is identical: documenting hours worked for payroll and compliance.
How do I calculate overtime for fluctuating workweeks?
Under the fluctuating workweek method, salaried non-exempt employees receive a fixed salary regardless of hours worked, plus overtime at 0.5× (not 1.5×) for hours over 40. This is only legal if: (1) hours fluctuate week to week, (2) the fixed salary covers all hours worked even in the longest weeks, (3) the employee understands the arrangement, and (4) the regular rate never drops below minimum wage. This method is complex and risky—consult an employment attorney before implementing it.
Are breaks required by law?
Federal law (FLSA) does not require breaks, including lunch breaks or rest periods. However, many states do have break requirements. For example, California requires a 30-minute meal break for shifts over 5 hours and 10-minute rest breaks for every 4 hours worked. Check your state's labor department website for specific requirements. Even where not required, providing breaks is a best practice for employee health and productivity.
Can independent contractors use time cards?
Independent contractors can track their time for billing purposes, but the nature of the relationship matters more than the tracking method. If a business exercises significant control over when, where, and how work is performed (including requiring use of a time clock), this suggests an employee relationship, not an independent contractor. Misclassifying employees as contractors to avoid overtime obligations can result in significant penalties, back wages, and tax liabilities.
What is "time theft" and how can employers prevent it?
Time theft includes buddy punching (clocking in for another employee), extended breaks, early clock-ins or late clock-outs, and performing personal tasks on company time. Prevention methods include biometric time clocks (fingerprint/facial recognition), GPS-based mobile clocking for field workers, supervisor oversight, and clear policies with consequences. However, employers must still pay for all hours worked, even if worked in violation of policy (though disciplinary action can follow).
How do I handle time zones for remote employees?
For payroll purposes, choose one reference time zone (typically the company's headquarters or the employee's location) and document it clearly. Overtime is still based on hours worked in the workweek, regardless of time zone. For scheduling purposes, clarify whether work hours are based on the employee's local time or company time. Remote employees working across midnight in their time zone should still have their hours calculated correctly—time tracking software can help manage this automatically.
Can employers require unpaid training?
Generally, no. Training time is considered hours worked and must be paid if: (1) it's required by the employer, (2) it's directly related to the employee's job, or (3) the employee performs productive work during training. Limited exceptions exist for voluntary training outside regular hours, not directly job-related, and where no productive work is performed. However, mandatory onboarding, safety training, and skills training must be paid. Unpaid internships have separate, strict requirements.
What should I do if my employer refuses to pay overtime shown on my time card?
First, document everything—keep copies of time cards, pay stubs, and any written communications. Raise the issue with HR or management in writing. If not resolved, you can file a complaint with your state labor department or the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division. You may also consult an employment attorney about filing a lawsuit. FLSA prohibits retaliation against employees who assert their rights to proper wages. Claims can often be filed up to 2-3 years back for unpaid overtime.
Time Card Terminology Glossary
Clock In/Out
Recording the exact time an employee begins and ends work, traditionally using a mechanical time clock.
Overtime
Hours worked over 40 in a workweek (or different threshold in some states), paid at 1.5× the regular rate.
Double-Time
Pay at 2× the regular rate, required in some states for hours over 12 in a day or 7th consecutive workday.
Regular Rate
The hourly rate used to calculate overtime, which may include commissions, bonuses, and shift differentials.
Exempt Employee
Salaried workers in executive, administrative, or professional roles who are not entitled to overtime pay.
Non-Exempt Employee
Workers entitled to overtime pay for hours over 40 in a workweek under FLSA.
Workweek
A fixed, recurring period of 168 hours (7 consecutive 24-hour periods) used to calculate overtime.
FLSA
Fair Labor Standards Act—the federal law governing minimum wage, overtime, and recordkeeping requirements.
Time Theft
Fraudulent practices like buddy punching, extended breaks, or falsifying time records.
Buddy Punching
When one employee clocks in or out for another employee who is not present.
Comp Time
Compensatory time off given instead of overtime pay (only legal for government employers).
Rounding
Adjusting clock-in/out times to the nearest increment (5, 6, 10, or 15 minutes), must be neutral over time.
Prevailing Wage
The wage rate determined by the Department of Labor for specific classifications on government contracts.
Shift Differential
Additional pay for working less desirable hours (nights, weekends, holidays).
Billable Hours
Time spent on client work that can be invoiced, common in legal and consulting professions.
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