Calculate net working time, break, attendance and end of work with midnight support and traceable calculation steps.
Available
Inputs
Enter values
Live
Working TimeEvaluate start, end and break
Enter working time
Start, end and break. Night shifts across midnight are possible.
iStart of working time in 24-hour format.
Start of working time in 24-hour format.
iEnd of working time. If end is before start, it is calculated until the next calendar day.
End of working time. If end is before start, it is calculated until the next calendar day.
minutes
Total break in whole minutes. Enter 0 for no break.
Load example
For illustration only – your own calculation is what counts.
Explanation
How Working Time Calculator works
The working time calculator works to the minute with times in 24-hour format. It distinguishes attendance, break and net working time.
Section 3 ArbZG generally limits working time per working day to 8 hours. It may be extended to 10 hours only if the average does not exceed 8 hours per working day over 6 calendar months or 24 weeks. Under section 4, more than 6 and up to 9 hours require at least 30 minutes of rest breaks and more than 9 hours at least 45 minutes; each break segment must generally last at least 15 minutes.
The calculator uses “attendance” for the period from start to finish and “net working time” for that period minus the entered break. Section 2(1) ArbZG generally defines working time as the time from beginning to end of work excluding rest breaks. The calculator does not decide whether a particular interruption is working time, a rest break, or compensable.
In its decision of September 13, 2022 (1 ABR 22/21), the Federal Labour Court derived from section 3(2)(1) ArbSchG a duty to record the beginning and end, and therefore the duration, of daily working time. The calculator is nevertheless not a time-recording system and stores no working time. Scope, exceptions and implementation must be assessed for the particular employment relationship.
Net working timeNet working time = work end - work start - break
If work end is before work start, the end is assigned to the following calendar day.
End of workWork end = work start + desired working time + break
In end of work mode, total attendance is first formed from net working time and break.
Knowledge
Distinguishing Net Working Time and Attendance
In professional life it matters whether a time span includes or excludes the break.
Attendance describes the complete time from work start to work end. Net working time only arises after deducting the break.
Work start and work end form the total attendance.
Breaks are deducted in minutes.
For night shifts, work end is assigned to the following calendar day.
Practice
Practical examples
For illustration only – your own calculation is what counts.
Workday with Break
Calculate the net working time from work start, work end and a break.
Result: From 08:30 to 16:42 is 8 h 12 min attendance. After a 30-minute break, 7 h 42 min net working time remains.
Night Shift Across Midnight
If work end is before work start, the working time calculator calculates until the following calendar day.
Result: Attendance is 8 h 0 min, net working time after break is 7 h 30 min.
Calculate End of Work
Calculate the end of work time from work start, desired net working time and break.
Result: With 7 h 42 min net working time and 30 minutes break, end of work is at 16:42.
Statutory break for long working time
Determine the statutory minimum break under section 4 ArbZG from the daily working time.
Result: With 9 h 15 min of working time, section 4 ArbZG requires a rest break of at least 45 minutes.
Notes
Common mistakes
Gross and net working time confused
Employees state their attendance time as working time without deducting the break. This overestimates the actual work output.
In the model, net working time equals attendance minus the entered break. Whether an interruption legally qualifies as a rest break or compensable working time must be assessed separately.
Legal break obligation not observed
No breaks are planned in working time scheduling. For more than 6 hours of work, a break is legally required.
Under section 4 ArbZG, more than 6 and up to 9 hours require at least 30 minutes, and more than 9 hours at least 45 minutes, of rest breaks. The calculator does not validate these thresholds.
Night shift interpreted as negative value
When work end is before work start (e.g., 22:00 to 06:00), the difference is incorrectly read as negative hours.
The calculator automatically recognizes shifts across midnight and assigns the end to the next day. 22:00 to 06:00 yields 8 hours attendance.
Decimal hours and minutes confused
7.5 hours are read as 7 hours 50 minutes instead of 7 hours 30 minutes.
7.5 decimal hours equal 7 hours and 30 minutes (0.5 x 60 = 30). The calculator shows both formats in parallel.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How does the working time calculator compute net working time?
The calculator first forms the attendance between work start and work end. Then it deducts the break in minutes.
Can the calculator handle shifts across midnight?
Yes. If work end is before work start, the end is treated as a time on the following calendar day.
What happens without a break?
Without a break entry or with 0 minutes break, the net working time equals the total attendance.
Why is the same time for start and end invalid?
Identical times are not unambiguous in working time mode: it could mean 0 minutes or 24 hours. The calculator therefore requires different times.
How does the end of work mode work?
You enter work start, desired net working time and break. The calculator adds net time and break to the start and shows the end of work time.
Does the calculator check legal break requirements?
The time calculation does not evaluate this. However, the separate break mode states the statutory minimum break under section 4 ArbZG for adult employees as orientation. It does not replace a legal assessment: minors (JArbSchG), collective agreements and works agreements may require longer breaks.
How long must the legal break be at minimum?
Under section 4 ArbZG, more than 6 and up to 9 hours of work require at least 30 minutes of rest breaks, and more than 9 hours require at least 45 minutes; no one may work longer than 6 consecutive hours without a rest break. The calculator does not check this. Collective agreements, works or staff agreements, and special rules may add or vary requirements in a specific case.
What is the difference between gross and net working time?
Gross working time (attendance time) covers the entire period from work start to work end. Net working time is gross working time minus all breaks. The calculator shows both values separately for clarity.
Limits
Limitations
Shift surcharges, night work surcharges and Sunday surcharges are not calculated.
The calculator does not check whether the entered working time exceeds legal maximum working time or maintains minimum rest periods.
The calculation applies to a single work day. Weekly or monthly time accounts are not supported.
Flextime accounts, working time corridors and trust-based working time models are not represented.
Sources
Sources and references
Arbeitszeitgesetz (ArbZG)Bundesministerium der Justiz
Section 2 generally defines working time excluding rest breaks; sections 3 and 4 govern daily limits and minimum breaks, and section 7 permits certain collective-agreement deviations.
View sourceRetrieved: 07/29/2026 · Verified on: 07/29/2026 · Primary source
Arbeitszeitgesetz – Informationen des BMASBundesministerium für Arbeit und Soziales (BMAS)
Overview of working time regulations, break provisions and exceptions for certain professional groups.
View sourceRetrieved: 07/29/2026 · Verified on: 07/29/2026 · Primary source
Beschluss 1 ABR 22/21 zur ArbeitszeiterfassungBundesarbeitsgericht
The Federal Labour Court derives from section 3(2)(1) ArbSchG the duty to record the beginning and end, and thus the duration, of daily working time.
View sourceRetrieved: 07/29/2026 · Verified on: 07/29/2026
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