Work Time Calculator with Lunch Break
Enter when you clocked in, when you clocked out and how long your unpaid lunch was. You’ll get your hours worked in hours and minutes and in decimal hours, ready for a timesheet.
By the Best Therapy Productivity Calculator team · Last updated October 2026
How do you calculate hours worked with a lunch break?
Hours worked = (clock out − clock in) − unpaid breaks
Example: In at 7:45 AM, out at 4:30 PM, 30-minute unpaid lunch.
- 7:45 AM to 4:30 PM = 8 h 45 min
- Minus 30 min lunch = 8 h 15 min
- In decimal: 8 + 15 ÷ 60 = 8.25 hours
Quick reference: common shifts
| Clock in | Clock out | Unpaid lunch | Hours worked | Decimal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7:00 AM | 3:30 PM | 30 min | 8 h | 8.0 |
| 8:00 AM | 4:30 PM | 30 min | 8 h | 8.0 |
| 8:00 AM | 5:00 PM | 60 min | 8 h | 8.0 |
| 7:30 AM | 4:00 PM | 45 min | 7 h 45 min | 7.75 |
| 6:30 AM | 5:00 PM | 30 min | 10 h | 10.0 |
| 7:00 PM | 7:30 AM | 30 min | 12 h | 12.0 |
Are lunch breaks paid?
Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, as explained by the U.S. Department of Labor:
- Short breaks of about 5 to 20 minutes are generally counted as paid work time
- Meal periods of 30 minutes or more are not work time, as long as you’re fully relieved of duty
- If you eat at your desk while answering calls or charting, that meal time is generally work time
Federal law doesn’t require employers to give breaks at all. Some states do. California, for example, requires a 30-minute meal period for shifts of more than 5 hours, with limited exceptions. Check your state labor department.
What about overnight shifts?
Turn on the overnight toggle. The calculator adds 24 hours to clock-out when it’s earlier than clock-in, so a 7:00 PM to 7:30 AM shift is calculated correctly.
Frequently asked questions
How do I subtract lunch from my hours?
Take your total time from clock-in to clock-out and subtract the unpaid lunch minutes.
How do I convert hours and minutes to decimal?
Divide the minutes by 60 and add to the hours. 7 h 45 min is 7.75.
Is a 30-minute lunch paid?
Usually not, if you’re fully relieved of duty. Breaks of 20 minutes or less are generally paid.
Can I add more than one break?
Yes. Add each unpaid break; paid breaks stay in hours worked.
Related: Weekly timesheet calculator · Productivity calculator with lunch break · Clock-out time calculator
General information, not legal advice. State laws vary.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Labor, Breaks and Meal Periods
- California Department of Industrial Relations, Meal Periods