Lunch and Unpaid Break Calculator
Enter clock-in and clock-out times and the length of the unpaid meal. See your paid hours per day and week, whether an automatic deduction applies and how much the break costs you.
Lunch and unpaid break calculator
See paid hours after an unpaid meal break, and what the break costs per week.
Lunch and unpaid break calculator ·
Enter your numbers above and the result appears here.
How this was calculated
Which breaks are paid and which are not
Federal regulations separate two kinds of breaks. A bona fide meal period is not work time: 29 CFR 785.19 says the employee must be completely relieved from duty for the purposes of eating regular meals, and that ordinarily 30 minutes or more is long enough. A rest period is different: 29 CFR 785.18 describes rest periods of short duration, running from 5 minutes to about 20 minutes, which are common in industry, usually paid and counted as hours worked.
So subtract the lunch only if you are really off duty. If you eat at your desk, answer the phone or stay on call, the time is generally hours worked and should be paid. The federal rules set minimums; states can require more. The DOL's state table lists, for example, a 30-minute meal period after 5 hours in California and Colorado, and after 8 continuous hours in Nevada; read our meal and rest break guide.
Worked examples
8:00 am to 5:00 pm with a 30-minute lunch
Clock to clock: 9:00. Minus 30 minutes = 8:30 paid (8.50 hours). Five days = 42:30, so 2:30 of weekly overtime under the federal rule. At $18.00 an hour the lunch deduction costs 0.5 × $18 × 5 = $45 a week compared with paying the full 9 hours.
The same shift with a one-hour lunch
9:00 − 1:00 = 8:00. Five days = exactly 40:00, so no overtime. Lengthening an unpaid lunch lowers paid hours, so it matters at the overtime line.
Automatic meal deduction
Some timekeeping systems deduct 30 minutes automatically when a shift is longer than 6 hours. For a 6:00 am to 12:00 pm shift (exactly 6 hours) nothing is deducted; for 6:00 am to 12:30 pm, 30 minutes comes off, leaving 6:00 paid. If you did work through the meal, ask for a correction (see time card mistakes).
What to check on your own time card
- Is the unpaid meal shown on the card the length you actually took?
- Were you completely relieved of duty during it?
- Are short rest breaks (5-20 minutes) left inside your paid time?
- Does an automatic deduction apply on days you worked through lunch?
How a meal deduction can move you into overtime
A weekly total of exactly 40 hours has no overtime, and one extra 15 minutes does. Because unpaid meals reduce hours worked, a 30-minute difference per day matters: five days of 8:30 paid is 42:30, which includes 2:30 of overtime, while five days of 8:00 paid is 40:00 with none. Use the calculator for each pattern, then multiply the daily paid time by days.
| Clock-to-clock | Unpaid meal | Paid / day | Paid / 5 days | Overtime (federal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9:00 | 0:30 | 8:30 | 42:30 | 2:30 |
| 9:00 | 1:00 | 8:00 | 40:00 | none |
| 8:30 | 0:30 | 8:00 | 40:00 | none |
| 9:30 | 0:30 | 9:00 | 45:00 | 5:00 |
| 10:00 | 0:30 | 9:30 | 47:30 | 7:30 |
Automatic deduction systems
Many timekeeping systems deduct a set meal period automatically. That is convenient but only accurate if the meal is actually taken and the employee is relieved of duty. If an automatic deduction is applied on a day you worked through the meal or were interrupted, ask for a correction. Keep a note of the date and what happened so you can show it when you ask.
Keeping a lunch log
If you are asked to record your lunch yourself, write the start and end times, not just the length. “12:10 to 12:42” is clearer evidence than “30 minutes” and shows days when the break was shorter than scheduled or was interrupted. A month of notes is enough to show a pattern to your supervisor or to payroll.
Frequently asked questions
Are lunch breaks paid?
A bona fide meal period where you are completely relieved of duty is not paid work time under federal rules. Short rest breaks of about 5 to 20 minutes are generally paid. State law and your employer's policy may differ.
Does federal law require a lunch break?
Federal regulations (29 CFR 785.19) explain when a meal period counts as unpaid, but the Department of Labor publishes meal and rest break requirements as a state-by-state table. Several states do require meal periods and some require rest breaks; see our meal and rest break guide.
What if I work through lunch?
That time is generally hours worked and should be paid. Tell your supervisor and have the time card corrected.
How long should an unpaid lunch be?
Federal regulations say 30 minutes or more is ordinarily long enough for a bona fide meal period. Shorter periods may have to be paid depending on the circumstances.
Does a longer lunch reduce overtime?
Yes. Unpaid time does not count as hours worked, so a longer unpaid lunch lowers weekly hours.
Sources and last checked
- 29 CFR 785.18 - Rest periods
- 29 CFR 785.19 - Meal
- U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division: State meal period and rest break requirements (table, last revised January 1, 2023)
Last checked: . Rules change; confirm with the linked agency before relying on a figure. This is general information, not legal or payroll advice - see our disclaimer.