How to Calculate Biweekly Work Hours
To calculate biweekly work hours, total the net hours for each shift across the two-week period. Also keep a separate total for each individual workweek if your employer or local rules calculate overtime by week.
Practical timekeeping guide · ShiftHours
Calculate each week first
Add the daily net hours for Week 1, then do the same for Week 2. For example, 38 hours in the first week and 41 hours in the second week produce 79 hours across the two weeks.
The combined 79-hour total is useful for a pay-period summary, but it does not replace separate weekly totals where those are required.
Keep overtime rules separate
A biweekly pay period does not automatically mean hours can be averaged across two weeks. Overtime calculations depend on the rules that apply to the worker and jurisdiction. Use the right workweek boundaries and threshold.
This guide explains time arithmetic, not an entitlement to a particular overtime payment.
Handle breaks and missed punches
Calculate each shift after removing unpaid breaks. If a clock-in or clock-out is missing, confirm the correct time from an approved record rather than guessing. Keep a note of any correction.
Avoid rounding every shift before totaling the pay period unless the prescribed process requires it.
Use a repeatable workflow
Save each week’s total, then combine the two totals for the pay-period summary. ShiftHours can calculate daily and weekly hours; record the two weekly totals separately for a biweekly view.
Use the free ShiftHours work hours calculator to calculate shift length, subtract unpaid breaks, and view decimal hours. For weekly totals, try the weekly calculator.
Worked example: two-week total
If the first week contains 38.5 hours and the second contains 40 hours, the biweekly total is 78.5 hours. Keep each shift’s unpaid-break deduction consistent before adding daily totals.
Related resources
Open the work hours calculator · Browse all ShiftHours articles · Decimal hours chart