Lunch Break Calculator

Find paid hours after an unpaid lunch, or when to clock out

About Lunch Break Calculator

A lunch break calculator shows how many paid hours you worked once an unpaid lunch is taken out, and works backwards to tell you what time you can clock out to reach a target number of paid hours.

Formula

Paid hours = (end - start) - unpaid lunch. Clock-out time = start + paid hours goal + lunch.

How It Works

Enter your start and end time.
Enter unpaid lunch minutes.
For the reverse, enter the paid hours you want and read the clock-out time.

Examples

Calculation	Expression	Result
8 AM to 5 PM, 60 min lunch	9:00 - 1:00	8:00 paid
Want 8 paid hours, start 8:00 AM, 30 min lunch	8:00 + 8:00 + 0:30	Clock out 4:30 PM

Tips

A 30-minute and a 60-minute lunch differ by half an hour of paid time each day, about 2.5 hours a week.
Check whether your state requires a meal break at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a lunch break paid or unpaid?

Under federal rules, bona fide meal periods (generally 30 minutes or more) when you are completely relieved from duty are not work time and need not be paid (29 CFR 785.19). Short rest breaks of about 5 to 20 minutes are paid (29 CFR 785.18).

How do I subtract a lunch break from my hours?

Subtract the end time minus the start time, then subtract the lunch. 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM with a 1 hour lunch is 8 paid hours.

Does federal law require a lunch break?

No. Federal law does not require meal or rest breaks for adult workers, but many states do.