Example: one day under the 7-minute rule
Jordan’s punches are 8:07 AM in, 12:04 PM out for lunch, 12:38 PM back and 4:53 PM out. The clock rounds to the nearest 15 minutes.
- 8:07 rounds down to 8:00 and 12:04 to 12:00: 4.00 hours.
- 12:38 rounds up to 12:45 and 4:53 to 5:00: 4.25 hours.
- Rounded total: 8.25 hours. Actual time: 8 h 12 min, or 8.20 hours. Rounding added 3 minutes today; on another day it may take some away.
Rounding chart
Where each minute past the hour lands under the three common rules. “+:00” means the next hour.
| Minute | 15-min (7-minute rule) | 6-min (tenths) | 5-min |
|---|---|---|---|
| :00 | :00 | :00 | :00 |
| :01 | :00 | :00 | :00 |
| :02 | :00 | :00 | :00 |
| :03 | :00 | :06 | :05 |
| :04 | :00 | :06 | :05 |
| :05 | :00 | :06 | :05 |
| :06 | :00 | :06 | :05 |
| :07 | :00 | :06 | :05 |
| :08 | :15 | :06 | :10 |
| :09 | :15 | :12 | :10 |
| :10 | :15 | :12 | :10 |
| :11 | :15 | :12 | :10 |
| :12 | :15 | :12 | :10 |
| :13 | :15 | :12 | :15 |
| :14 | :15 | :12 | :15 |
| :15 | :15 | :18 | :15 |
| :16 | :15 | :18 | :15 |
| :17 | :15 | :18 | :15 |
| :18 | :15 | :18 | :20 |
| :19 | :15 | :18 | :20 |
| :20 | :15 | :18 | :20 |
| :21 | :15 | :24 | :20 |
| :22 | :15 | :24 | :20 |
| :23 | :30 | :24 | :25 |
| :24 | :30 | :24 | :25 |
| :25 | :30 | :24 | :25 |
| :26 | :30 | :24 | :25 |
| :27 | :30 | :30 | :25 |
| :28 | :30 | :30 | :30 |
| :29 | :30 | :30 | :30 |
| Minute | 15-min (7-minute rule) | 6-min (tenths) | 5-min |
|---|---|---|---|
| :30 | :30 | :30 | :30 |
| :31 | :30 | :30 | :30 |
| :32 | :30 | :30 | :30 |
| :33 | :30 | :36 | :35 |
| :34 | :30 | :36 | :35 |
| :35 | :30 | :36 | :35 |
| :36 | :30 | :36 | :35 |
| :37 | :30 | :36 | :35 |
| :38 | :45 | :36 | :40 |
| :39 | :45 | :42 | :40 |
| :40 | :45 | :42 | :40 |
| :41 | :45 | :42 | :40 |
| :42 | :45 | :42 | :40 |
| :43 | :45 | :42 | :45 |
| :44 | :45 | :42 | :45 |
| :45 | :45 | :48 | :45 |
| :46 | :45 | :48 | :45 |
| :47 | :45 | :48 | :45 |
| :48 | :45 | :48 | :50 |
| :49 | :45 | :48 | :50 |
| :50 | :45 | :48 | :50 |
| :51 | :45 | :54 | :50 |
| :52 | :45 | :54 | :50 |
| :53 | +:00 | :54 | :55 |
| :54 | +:00 | :54 | :55 |
| :55 | +:00 | :54 | :55 |
| :56 | +:00 | :54 | :55 |
| :57 | +:00 | +:00 | :55 |
| :58 | +:00 | +:00 | +:00 |
| :59 | +:00 | +:00 | +:00 |
How each rule rounds
- 15 minutes (the 7-minute rule): 1–7 minutes past a quarter hour round down, 8–14 round up. 8:07 counts as 8:00; 8:08 as 8:15.
- 6 minutes (tenths): each tenth of an hour is 6 minutes, and 3 minutes or more rounds up. Every punch lands on .0, .1, .2 and so on.
- 5 and 10 minutes work the same way at their own step.
Each punch is rounded on its own before the hours are added, so if you clock out for lunch, enter the morning and afternoon as two shifts. Hours over 40 are treated as one week’s overtime at 1.5×; for daily overtime or several weeks, use the time card calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Is time clock rounding legal?
In the U.S., yes, as long as it’s neutral over time (29 CFR 785.48): it mustn’t consistently cut the hours employees are paid for. Some states and courts look at it closely, and many employers now pay exact minutes instead.
How do I calculate hours from a time clock?
Round each punch by your employer’s rule, subtract each clock-in from its clock-out, add the shifts and divide the minutes by 60 for decimal hours.