Bi-Weekly Time Card With a Pay Rate Change Mid-Period
October 23, 2026
When a pay rate change (such as a raise) takes effect partway through a bi-weekly pay period, hours worked before the change need to be calculated at the old rate, and hours after the change at the new rate — rather than applying either rate to the entire period.
Skip the math and get your answer instantly:
Open the Bi-Weekly Time Card Calculator →Worked Example
An employee earning $18/hour gets a raise to $20/hour effective the start of week 2 of their bi-weekly period. Week 1: 40 hours at $18. Week 2: 40 hours at $20.
- Week 1 pay: 40 × $18 = $720
- Week 2 pay: 40 × $20 = $800
- Bi-weekly total: $720 + $800 = $1,520
What If the Rate Changes Mid-Week, Not Mid-Period
If the rate change happens partway through a single week rather than cleanly at a week boundary, the split needs to happen at the exact day/time the new rate takes effect within that week — the same old-rate/new-rate separation applies, just at a finer granularity than a full week.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is a mid-period rate change handled on a bi-weekly time card?
Hours before the change are calculated at the old rate, hours after at the new rate, then summed — not one rate applied to the whole period.
What's the bi-weekly total in this example?
$1,520, combining $720 from week 1 at the old rate and $800 from week 2 at the new rate.
What if the rate changes partway through a single week, not at a week boundary?
The same old-rate/new-rate split applies, just calculated at the specific day/time the change takes effect within that week.
Should either rate be applied to the whole period for simplicity?
No — this would misstate pay for whichever portion of the period doesn't match the rate used.