Time clock rounding calculator
Round punches and see the pay impact
Enter a clock-in and clock-out, pick a rounding increment and direction, and compare the rounded total against the exact one. Add your rate to see the difference in dollars.
How each increment behaves
Quarter-hour rounding (15 minutes) is the most common and the one behind the 7-minute rule: a punch 7 minutes or less into the quarter rounds back, 8 or more rounds forward. Six-minute rounding puts every punch on a tenth of an hour, which maps cleanly to decimal payroll. Five-minute rounding is the finest of the three and moves punches the least.
The pay impact shown here is for one shift. Over a pay period the small gains and losses are meant to cancel out, which is the condition the law places on rounding. To see the exact figures in decimal, use the decimal hours calculator.
The rule behind it
Rounding worked time is addressed in the federal regulation 29 CFR 785.48 and the Department of Labor's fact sheets. The short version is that rounding is allowed to a limited degree when it stays neutral over time. The rounding rules page quotes the regulation and covers where rounding is being dropped, notably in California after Camp v. Home Depot.
To apply rounding across a whole week rather than a single shift, the time card calculator has a rounding switch, and the methodology page shows the exact math.
Common questions
What are the common time clock rounding increments?
Fifteen minutes (the quarter hour), six minutes (a tenth of an hour), and five minutes. Quarter-hour rounding is the most common and is the source of the 7-minute rule. Six-minute rounding lines up neatly with decimal hours because each tenth is 0.1.
How does rounding affect my pay?
Rounding moves each punch to the nearest, next, or previous mark, which can add or cut a few minutes from the shift. Enter your rate above to see the change in dollars for one shift. Whether rounding is fair is judged over time, not on a single day.
Is time clock rounding legal?
Under federal law, rounding to increments up to 15 minutes is allowed if it is neutral over time, per 29 CFR 785.48. It cannot systematically undercount hours. California has moved away from allowing rounding when exact time can be recorded. See the rounding rules page. This is information, not legal advice.
What is the difference between rounding up, down, and nearest?
Nearest sends each punch to the closest mark, which is the neutral method the law contemplates. Up always sends a punch forward and down always sends it back, which favor one side and are less likely to be neutral over time.