Guides · 8 articles
Work hours & payroll, explained properly.
Every guide answers its question in the first paragraph, shows the math with real numbers, and links the official source — DOL fact sheets and state labor agencies, not hearsay.
Overtime
California Overtime Rules: Daily OT, Double Time & the 7th Day
California overtime explained: 1.5× after 8 hours a day, double time after 12, the 7th-consecutive-day rules, and worked examples — with a calculator that applies them.
Overtime
How Overtime Is Calculated: FLSA Rules Explained Simply
Federal overtime under the FLSA: who qualifies, how the 40-hour workweek works, what the "regular rate" really includes, and worked examples with time and a half.
Work hours
How to Calculate Hours Worked (Step by Step, with Examples)
The exact method payroll uses to calculate hours worked: subtract times, deduct unpaid breaks, convert minutes to decimals, and apply overtime — with worked examples.
Payroll
Weekly vs Biweekly Payroll: Differences, Pros & Cons
Weekly, biweekly, semimonthly and monthly payroll compared: paycheck counts, overtime handling, cash flow, and which schedule fits hourly teams best.
Compliance
Lunch Break Laws by State: Meal & Rest Breaks Explained
Which states require lunch breaks, how long they must be, when breaks are paid vs unpaid, and what to do when an auto-deducted lunch was actually worked.
Payroll
Minutes to Decimal Hours: Why Payroll Uses Decimals (Chart Inside)
Why 8:30 on a time clock becomes 8.50 on a pay stub: the minutes-to-decimal conversion, the full chart, rounding rules and the classic 8.30 ≠ 8:30 mistake.
Best practices
9 Common Timesheet Mistakes (and How Much They Cost)
The timesheet errors that actually change paychecks: decimal slips, averaged overtime, auto-deducted lunches, missing splits and rounding abuse — with fixes.
Best practices
Time Tracking Best Practices for Small Teams (No Software Required)
A lightweight time-tracking system for small teams: what to record, how to handle breaks and overtime, when a calculator beats an app, and when to upgrade.
Theory's done — check your actual hours.
The free time card calculator applies everything in these guides: breaks, state overtime, decimals and pay.