About the Time Card Calculator
A time card calculator totals weekly hours from daily entries and computes pay, separating regular hours from overtime. It is the calculation that turns a timesheet into a paycheck.
The formula
Pay = regular hours · rate + overtime hours · rate · 1.5Under US federal law, hours over 40 in a workweek attract at least 1.5 times the regular rate. Regular hours are the first 40; overtime is everything beyond.
How to use this calculator
- 1Enter your Monday Hours. The field starts at
8, which you can overwrite. - 2Enter your Tuesday Hours. The field starts at
8, which you can overwrite. - 3Enter your Wednesday Hours. The field starts at
8, which you can overwrite. - 4Enter your Thursday Hours. The field starts at
8, which you can overwrite. - 5Enter your Friday Hours. The field starts at
8, which you can overwrite. - 6Enter your Hourly Rate ($). The field starts at
20, which you can overwrite. - 7Read the result straight away — it recalculates as you type, so there is no button to press. Use Share to copy a link that reopens the page with your exact numbers filled in.
Worked example
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Monday Hours | 8 |
| Tuesday Hours | 8 |
| Wednesday Hours | 8 |
| Thursday Hours | 8 |
| Friday Hours | 8 |
| Hourly Rate ($) | 20 |
Result
Total Hours: 40.00
Regular Hours: 40.00
Overtime Hours: 0.00
Regular Pay: $800.00
Overtime Pay (×1.5): $0.00
Total Weekly Pay: $800.00
Those are the values the page loads with, so you can reproduce this result yourself and then change one field at a time to see what drives the outcome.
Understanding your result
The 40-hour threshold in the Fair Labor Standards Act is weekly, not daily, so ten-hour days do not create overtime if the week totals 40 or less. Several states impose stricter daily rules — California pays overtime beyond 8 hours in a day and double time beyond 12 — so the applicable rule depends on jurisdiction.
Overtime eligibility depends on classification. Non-exempt employees must receive overtime; exempt employees, typically salaried workers above a threshold in executive, administrative, or professional roles, need not. Misclassification is one of the most common wage violations and one of the most expensive to correct.
Things worth knowing
- US federal overtime is weekly over 40 hours. Some states add daily thresholds that are more generous.
- The overtime rate is based on the regular rate including certain bonuses, not just base hourly pay.
- Deduct unpaid meal breaks before totalling. Short paid rest breaks are counted as worked time.
- Keep accurate records — employers are legally required to retain timesheets, typically for two to three years.
- This calculation is gross pay. Tax, national insurance, and other deductions come off separately.
Frequently asked questions
When does overtime start?+
Under US federal law, after 40 hours in a workweek at 1.5 times the regular rate. Some states add daily thresholds — California pays overtime after 8 hours in a day.
Who is entitled to overtime pay?+
Non-exempt employees. Exempt workers — generally salaried employees above a minimum threshold in executive, administrative, or professional roles — are not entitled under federal law.
Do paid holidays count toward overtime?+
Generally no under federal law, which counts only hours actually worked toward the 40-hour threshold. Some employment contracts and collective agreements are more generous.
How is the overtime rate calculated?+
1.5 times the regular rate of pay, which includes non-discretionary bonuses and shift differentials, not just the base hourly wage. Excluding those understates what is owed.