Direct answer
Use clock-in, clock-out, and unpaid lunch minutes to calculate paid hours. The basic rule is shift span minus unpaid lunch.
Use this working rule: Paid hours = clock-out time - clock-in time - unpaid lunch.
Open Time Card With Lunch CalculatorExample with numbers
A 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM shift is 8.5 hours on the clock. With a 30-minute unpaid lunch, paid time is 8.0 hours.
Clock-in: 9:00 AM; clock-out: 5:30 PM; unpaid lunch: 30 minutes; paid result: 8.00 hours.
Comparison table
| Input | What to do | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Known number | Paid hours = clock-out time - clock-in time - unpaid lunch. | A 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM shift is 8.5 hours on the clock. With a 30-minute unpaid lunch, paid time is 8.0 hours. |
| Calculator check | Enter the same inputs in the related tool | Open Time Card With Lunch Calculator |
| Copyable note | Save the result with assumptions | Clock-in: 9:00 AM; clock-out: 5:30 PM; unpaid lunch: 30 minutes; paid result: 8.00 hours. |
Step-by-step check
Key checks
- Enter the clock-in and clock-out times exactly as recorded.
- Enter only unpaid lunch minutes.
- Repeat for each day in the week.
- Compare the paid total with the payroll timecard before payroll closes.
When this gets tricky
Do not subtract lunch twice if the system already auto-deducted it.
Do not subtract paid breaks.
For overnight shifts, keep the start and end dates clear.
Copy this result format
Clock-in: 9:00 AM; clock-out: 5:30 PM; unpaid lunch: 30 minutes; paid result: 8.00 hours.
Keep the inputs visible. That makes the answer easier to reuse in a timesheet note, payroll message, PTO request, or deadline explanation.
Related internal path
Related page: /guides/how-can-i-tell-if-lunch-was-deducted-twice/
Related page: /guides/how-to-calculate-overtime-with-lunch-breaks/
Open Time Card With Lunch Calculator