Guide / two-week pay period
How to calculate two weeks of work hours and pay
A two-week pay period gives you one paycheck, but it contains two separate workweeks. Use the calculator’s “2 weeks” setting to enter each day. The period total helps you compare the time card with the pay statement; the week breakdown shows where overtime arises.
Start with a 38-hour week and a 45-hour week
At a $20 hourly rate and a 40-hour weekly threshold, week 1 has 38:00 regular hours and no overtime. Its simple gross estimate is 38 × $20 = $760. Week 2 has 40:00 regular and 5:00 overtime. Its estimate is 40 × $20 plus 5 × $30 = $950. The two-week total is 83:00 worked, 78:00 regular, 5:00 overtime and $1,710 estimated gross pay.
| Period | Worked | Regular | Overtime | Estimated gross |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 38:00 | 38:00 | 0:00 | $760 |
| Week 2 | 45:00 | 40:00 | 5:00 | $950 |
| Both | 83:00 | 78:00 | 5:00 | $1,710 |
Why averaging gives the wrong overtime estimate
83 ÷ 2 is 41.5 hours per week. Treating that average as each week would show three overtime hours for the period, rather than five in the actual 45-hour week. Under the basic US federal rule, a fixed workweek stands on its own even when wages are paid every two weeks. Read the US Department of Labor overtime overview for that baseline.
Add lunch and check the dates
For a 09:00–17:30 shift, enter 30 minutes only if the meal was unpaid and free of work. The row then shows 8:00 worked. Before comparing two weeks with a pay statement, confirm your employer’s fixed workweek start and the pay-period dates. A pay period need not start on the same day as a workweek. If an overnight shift crosses that boundary, split it manually for an accurate overtime comparison.
What about monthly totals?
Calendar months can contain parts of four, five or six fixed workweeks. To review a month, total its recorded shifts for hours worked, then calculate overtime inside each actual workweek. A single “monthly overtime after 160 hours” rule could hide a high-hour week and is not used here. This calculator supports one or two complete weeks at a time.