Work Hours Calculator
Add up hours worked from start and finish times with breaks, get weekly totals in hours:minutes and decimal hours, and gross pay at an hourly rate.
Total hours this week
40 hThis timesheet totals 40:00 hours (40 decimal hours) over 5 days, an average of 8 hours a day.
| Days worked | 5 |
|---|---|
| Total (hours:minutes) | 40:00 |
| Total (decimal hours) | 40 |
| Average per day | 8 h |
How this was calculated
| Monday: 09:00–17:30 minus 30 min break8:00 = 8 h | 8 h |
|---|---|
| Tuesday: 09:00–17:30 minus 30 min break8:00 = 8 h | 8 h |
| Wednesday: 09:00–17:30 minus 30 min break8:00 = 8 h | 8 h |
| Thursday: 09:00–17:30 minus 30 min break8:00 = 8 h | 8 h |
| Friday: 09:00–17:30 minus 30 min break8:00 = 8 h | 8 h |
| Total: 40:00 = 40 hours over 5 days | 40 h |
This timesheet totals 40:00 hours (40 decimal hours) over 5 days, an average of 8 hours a day.
Source: Fair Work Ombudsman Last verified How we keep this accurate
How the work hours calculator works
Enter a start time, a finish time and the unpaid break for each day. The calculator subtracts the break from the span between the two times, adds the days up, and shows the total three ways: hours and minutes, decimal hours, and (with an hourly rate) gross pay. Shifts that end after midnight are handled automatically, and each day can be rounded to the nearest few minutes if your workplace rounds clock times.
Hours and minutes to decimal hours
Payroll works in decimal hours, so 7 hours 30 minutes is entered as 7.5 and 8 hours 20 minutes as 8.33. The table shows the common conversions.
| Minutes | Decimal | Minutes | Decimal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 0.08 | 35 | 0.58 |
| 10 | 0.17 | 40 | 0.67 |
| 15 | 0.25 | 45 | 0.75 |
| 20 | 0.33 | 50 | 0.83 |
| 25 | 0.42 | 55 | 0.92 |
| 30 | 0.50 | 60 | 1.00 |
From hours to gross pay and take-home pay
With an hourly rate entered, the calculator multiplies the decimal hours by the rate. Turn on overtime to split the week at a threshold (38 hours is the National Employment Standards maximum for ordinary hours) and pay the excess at a multiplier such as 1.5. The result is gross pay before tax; the take-home button opens the weekly tax calculator with that figure, which applies the current ATO tax rates, Medicare levy and super.
What this calculator doesn’t cover
- Award-specific rules: daily overtime, penalty rates for weekends, nights and public holidays, allowances, and paid rest breaks. Check the award or use the Fair Work pay and conditions tool.
- Averaging of hours across a roster cycle, and annualised salaries.
- Public holidays worked; see the public holidays lists for the dates.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate hours worked?
Subtract the start time from the finish time, then subtract any unpaid break. A 9:00 start, 5:30 finish and 30-minute lunch is 8 hours 30 minutes minus 30 minutes, which is 8 hours. Do this for each day and add the days up. The calculator handles the arithmetic, including shifts that run past midnight, and shows the total both in hours:minutes and in decimal hours.
How do I convert minutes to decimal hours?
Divide the minutes by 60. Thirty minutes is 0.5 hours, 15 minutes is 0.25, 20 minutes is 0.33 and 45 minutes is 0.75. So 7 hours 20 minutes is 7.33 decimal hours. Payroll systems multiply decimal hours by the hourly rate, which is why timesheets often ask for decimals rather than minutes. The calculator shows both formats side by side.
What counts as a full-time week in Australia?
Under the National Employment Standards, full-time employees work a maximum of 38 ordinary hours a week plus reasonable additional hours. Awards set when overtime applies, commonly after 38 hours a week or after a set number of hours a day, and at what rate. The calculator lets you set the weekly threshold and multiplier to match your award, but it does not know your award's daily overtime rules.
Are breaks paid or unpaid?
It depends on the award or agreement. Meal breaks of 30 to 60 minutes are usually unpaid and are deducted from hours worked; short rest breaks of 10 minutes are usually paid and are not deducted. Enter only unpaid break minutes in the calculator. If you are unsure, the Fair Work Ombudsman's pay and conditions tool lists the break rules for each award.
How does the calculator handle overnight shifts?
If the finish time is earlier than the start time, the calculator assumes the shift crossed midnight and adds 24 hours. A 10pm start and 6am finish gives 8 hours. The hours are counted on the day the shift started. Awards often pay a shift loading for night work, which is not included in the gross pay figure here.
Can I use this to check my payslip?
Yes. Enter the times from your roster or clock records and your base hourly rate, and compare the gross figure with the ordinary-hours line on your payslip. Differences usually come from penalty rates, allowances, paid breaks or rounding rules in your award. For the tax and super side, the take-home link opens the weekly tax calculator with your gross pay filled in.
Sources and assumptions
- Fair Work Ombudsman — Hours of work — 38-hour standard week and reasonable additional hours
- Fair Work Ombudsman — Record-keeping — what employers must record for hours worked
Related calculators
Embed this calculator on your site
Free for any website. Paste one of the snippets below; the calculator resizes itself, works on mobile and updates automatically when rates change. It shows a small “Powered by AussieCalcs” line underneath.