Work Hours Calculator Australia
Add up a shift or a full week, deduct unpaid breaks and see exactly where ordinary hours end and overtime begins. Optionally turn those hours into a weekly and annual pay estimate.
- ATO-based tax rates
- Instant results
- No sign-up
- Private by design
Your shift and week
Times update the result instantly.
Hours are calculated in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or saved.
Paid hours per week
7.50 hours a day across 5 days
- Daily hours
- 7.50
- Overtime
- 0.00
- Hours per year
- 1,950
- Weekly pay
- $1,312.50
Hours breakdown
Per week- Time between start and finish
- 8.00 hrs
- Unpaid break
- −0.50 hrs
- Paid per day
- 7.50 hrs
- Days per week
- 5
- Annual pay (52 weeks)
- $68,250
Pay is a gross estimate at the rate and overtime multiplier you enter. Award penalty rates, loadings, allowances and tax are not included.
How the work hours calculator works
The calculator turns a start time, a finish time and an unpaid break into the number of hours you are actually paid for. It then multiplies that daily figure by the days you work each week. The result panel separates ordinary hours from overtimeusing the weekly threshold you choose, which is 38 hours by default.
The formulas are straightforward:
- Paid daily hours = finish time − start time − unpaid break.
- Weekly hours = paid daily hours × days per week.
- Ordinary hours = the smaller of weekly hours and your overtime threshold.
- Overtime hours = weekly hours − ordinary hours.
- Weekly pay = ordinary hours × rate + overtime hours × rate × overtime multiplier.
If the finish time is earlier than the start time, the calculator assumes the shift crosses midnight and adds 24 hours. A 30-minute unpaid lunch is deducted by default, which is common in Australian workplaces, but you can change it to zero or any other figure.
Australian ordinary hours, breaks and overtime
Under the National Employment Standards, a full-time employee can work a maximum of 38 hours per week, unless the employer asks for reasonable additional hours. Awards, enterprise agreements and contracts set the ordinary hours in more detail, including maximum daily hours, minimum shifts and the spread of hours during which ordinary time can be worked.
Overtime is work performed outside those ordinary hours. That can mean work beyond the weekly maximum, beyond a daily limit, outside a part-time employee’s agreed hours, or outside the spread of hours. Overtime rates are not universal: many awards use time and a half for the first hours and double time afterwards, while others use different rules. The calculator’s 1.5× and 2× options are common defaults, not a substitute for your award.
Breaks
Meal breaks are usually unpaid, while short rest breaks are usually paid. The Fair Work Ombudsman notes that break entitlements come from the applicable award or agreement. If you work through a break, or your employer pays it, set the unpaid break to zero so your paid hours are not understated.
Part-time and casual work
Part-time employees work fewer than 38 hours a week, usually on regular hours agreed in advance, and receive leave entitlements on a pro rata basis. Casual employees have no firm advance commitment to ongoing work, are usually paid a casual loading, and generally do not receive paid annual or personal leave. A casual shift can still involve overtime or penalty rates under the relevant award.
Work hours examples
| Roster | Paid hours | Overtime at 38 hrs |
|---|---|---|
| 5 days × 7.5 hours | 37.50 | 0.00 |
| 5 days × 8 hours | 40.00 | 2.00 |
| 4 days × 10 hours | 40.00 | 2.00 |
| 6 days × 6 hours | 36.00 | 0.00 |
| 5 days × 7.6 hours (standard full-time day) | 38.00 | 0.00 |
The 38-hour threshold is a weekly default. Some awards calculate overtime daily, or after a set number of hours in a fortnight. Use the “Overtime after” field to match your award or contract.
Turning hours into take-home pay
The optional pay estimate multiplies your ordinary and overtime hours by the hourly rate you enter. It does not deduct tax. To see what those earnings become after income tax, the Medicare levy and any HELP repayment, open theAustralian salary calculator and enter the annual figure. If you are comparing a rate rather than a salary, thehourly to salary calculator does the conversion and shows the take-home equivalent.
If your hours vary from week to week, calculate a typical week and then adjust for your roster pattern. For part-time roles, thepro rata salary calculator converts a full-time salary into the amount that matches your hours.
Questions
Work Hours Calculator Australia FAQs
Quick answers about how this calculator works and what it includes.
How are work hours calculated in Australia?
Paid hours are the time between your start and finish, minus any unpaid break. For a regular roster, multiply the daily paid hours by the number of days you work each week. A full-time week is generally 38 ordinary hours under the National Employment Standards, with anything beyond your award’s ordinary hours treated as overtime.
Is a lunch break deducted from work hours?
An unpaid meal break is normally deducted. Rest breaks of 10 minutes or less are usually paid. The exact break rules come from your award, enterprise agreement or contract, so check the applicable document if you are unsure.
When does overtime start?
Overtime applies outside the ordinary hours set by your award, agreement or contract. For many full-time employees that means more than 38 hours a week, but some awards use a daily limit such as 8 or 10 hours, or a spread of hours. This calculator lets you set the weekly threshold and overtime multiplier.
How do I calculate hours for an overnight shift?
If the finish time is earlier than the start time, the calculator treats it as an overnight shift and adds 24 hours. For example, 10:00 pm to 6:00 am becomes an eight-hour span before breaks are deducted.
Does this work hours calculator include penalty rates?
No. It applies a single hourly rate plus an overtime multiplier that you choose. Weekend, public holiday, shift and casual penalty rates depend on your award and are not estimated here. Use the Fair Work Pay and Conditions Tool for award-specific rates.
How many hours is full-time work in Australia?
Full-time employees generally work an average of 38 hours per week. Part-time employees work less than 38 hours with regular hours agreed in advance. Casual employees have no firm advance commitment to ongoing work and are usually paid a casual loading instead of paid leave.
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