What does this calculator do?
It works out how many hours you actually worked, from your start time, your end time, and any unpaid break. Hours worked = (end − start) − break.
// physics › Clock & Calendar
Work Hours Calculator
Work out hours worked from a start and end time, minus an optional break; handles overnight shifts.
hours = (end − start) − break
Frequently asked questions
Can you show an example?
Start at 09:00, finish at 17:00, with a 30-minute lunch break. That is 8 hours between start and end, minus 0.5 hours break = 7.5 hours worked.
What about night shifts that cross midnight?
The calculator handles them. If you start at 22:00 and finish at 06:00, it sees that the end is 'earlier' on the clock, adds 24 hours, and correctly gives an 8-hour shift.
How do I enter the times?
Use 24-hour time as HH:MM — so 1:30 in the afternoon is 13:30, and half past nine in the morning is 09:30. Enter the break as a number of minutes.
What if I have no break?
Just leave the break at 0. The full time between start and end is then counted as hours worked.
Why does it say the break is longer than the shift?
That is a safety check — if the break you entered is bigger than the whole shift, something is wrong with the inputs, so the calculator asks you to check them rather than show a negative result.