Time clock rounding calculator

Many employers round punches to the nearest quarter hour. Enter your real times to see the rounded shift and what the difference is worth over a year.

Rounded clock-in: –
Rounded clock-out: –
Time you worked: –
Time you are paid for: –

Per shift: · Per year:

What the 7-minute rule is

With quarter-hour rounding, a punch from 1 to 7 minutes past the quarter is rounded down, and a punch from 8 to 14 minutes is rounded up. Clocking in at 8:53 counts as 9:00; clocking in at 8:52 counts as 8:45.

Is time clock rounding legal?

Federal rules allow rounding to the nearest 5 minutes, tenth of an hour or quarter hour, as long as it averages out so that workers are paid for all the time they work. Rounding that only goes one way, such as always rounding a late clock-out down but never rounding an early clock-in back, does not meet that test. Some states are stricter.

The way to know is to keep your real times next to the paid times for a few pay periods. If the difference is against you nearly every shift, raise it with payroll.

Questions

What is the 7-minute rule?

It is quarter-hour rounding. Up to 7 minutes past the quarter hour is rounded down, and 8 minutes or more is rounded up to the next quarter hour.

Can my employer round my time?

Yes under federal rules, if the rounding is neutral: over time it must not leave you paid for less time than you worked.

How much can rounding cost?

Losing 7 minutes a shift at $20 an hour is $2.33. Over 5 shifts a week for a year that is about $607.

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Estimates only. Not legal, tax or financial advice. Wage rules vary by state and job.