Direct answer
Add both unpaid breaks together, subtract that total from the shift span, then convert minutes to decimal hours if needed.
Separate break lines make the result easier to audit later.
Use the answer as a working number, then compare it with the source that controls the situation: schedule, pay stub, PTO ledger, HR message, invoice terms, or policy wording.
Open Hours Worked CalculatorFormula and worked example
Formula: Paid hours = shift span - unpaid break 1 - unpaid break 2.
Example: Example: a 9:00 to 6:00 shift with a 30-minute lunch and 15-minute unpaid appointment break is 8.25 paid hours.
Write the assumption beside the result. A reviewer should be able to see whether the answer changed because of hours, dates, deduction timing, break treatment, or a policy exception.
Comparison table
| Input | Example | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Question | subtracting two separate unpaid breaks from one shift | Keeps the calculation narrow |
| Formula | Paid hours = shift span - unpaid break 1 - unpaid break 2. | Shows the math behind the answer |
| Example | Example: a 9:00 to 6:00 shift with a 30-minute lunch and 15-minute unpaid appointment break is 8.25 paid hours. | Makes the result easy to compare |
| Calculator | Hours Worked Calculator | Checks your real inputs |
Step-by-step method
Key checks
- List the start times, end times, lunch length, paid breaks, shift dates, rounding rule, and the workweek boundary before calculating.
- Start with the plain case. Add the unusual item afterward so the difference is visible.
- Apply this rule: Paid hours = shift span - unpaid break 1 - unpaid break 2.
- Add adjustments only when rounded punches, missed lunches, paid rest breaks, overnight shifts, split shifts, holiday work, and custom workweeks are actually part of the situation.
- Compare the estimate with your time clock export, schedule, manager correction, payroll note, project log, or written timekeeping policy before relying on it.
What can change the answer
The result can change when rounded punches, missed lunches, paid rest breaks, overnight shifts, split shifts, holiday work, and custom workweeks affect the inputs.
That does not make the calculator less useful. It means the calculator should mirror the real rule instead of the clean example.
The calculator can show the math, but the source record decides whether that math applies.
Real-world check
Two unpaid breaks should be added together before subtracting from the shift span. Keep both break reasons visible in case payroll reviews the line.
Do not let one unpaid appointment become PTO by accident. PTO is a separate policy decision from worked-hours math.
Common mistakes
Key checks
- Do not subtract paid rest breaks.
- Do not leave one unpaid break in minutes while the rest is decimal hours.
- Do not count an unpaid appointment as PTO unless the policy treats it that way.
Use the related calculator
Use Hours Worked Calculator when you want to test the exact numbers instead of trusting a shortcut.
Copy the result with the assumptions beside it: dates, hours, pay rate, break treatment, deduction period, or policy detail.
If one assumption moves the result by a lot, keep both scenarios instead of overwriting the first answer.
Open Hours Worked Calculator