Shift Calculator 2026 | Shift Differential & 12-Hour Pay

Question 1

How do you calculate shift differential pay?

Accepted Answer

Multiply the qualifying hours by the differential. A percentage differential is a percent of your base rate: $24 an hour with a 10% night differential adds $2.40 for every night hour. A flat differential adds a fixed amount, such as $2.00 per hour. Only the hours inside the differential window count, so a 12-hour shift that overlaps the night window for 8 hours earns the premium on 8 hours, not 12.

Question 2

Does shift differential count toward overtime pay?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Shift differentials, night premiums, and weekend premiums are nondiscretionary pay for hours worked, so the FLSA requires them in the regular rate before overtime is figured. Paying overtime on the base rate alone is one of the most common wage errors in hospital, manufacturing, and warehouse payroll. This calculator blends every premium into the regular rate first, then adds the overtime premium.

Question 3

How does overtime work on a 12-hour shift schedule?

Accepted Answer

Under federal law, overtime starts after 40 hours in the workweek, so four 12-hour shifts produce 48 hours and roughly 8 overtime hours depending on unpaid breaks. In daily-overtime states such as California, Alaska, Nevada, and Colorado, each 12-hour shift also generates 4 daily overtime hours, and California and Colorado add double time past 12. Toggle daily overtime above to model those rules.

Question 4

What is a 4-on-4-off or Pitman shift schedule?

Accepted Answer

Rotating patterns that alternate blocks of 12-hour shifts with blocks of days off. They average out to about 42 hours a week, which means overtime in some weeks and not others — and because overtime is measured per workweek, the light weeks never cancel the heavy ones. Enter the shift count for a specific week to see that week's pay rather than the average.

Question 5

Is a night shift differential required by law?

Accepted Answer

No federal law requires extra pay for night, weekend, or holiday shifts. Differentials come from employer policy, union contracts, or market pressure in industries like nursing and logistics. Once promised, though, a differential becomes part of your wages and must be paid and included in the regular rate for overtime.

Question 6

How are unpaid meal breaks handled in shift pay?

Accepted Answer

A bona fide meal period of 30 minutes or more where you are fully relieved of duty is unpaid, so a 12-hour shift with a 30-minute lunch pays 11.5 hours. If you are interrupted, on call, or eating at your station covering the floor, that time is working time and must be paid. Set the unpaid break to zero if your breaks are actually working through.

Question 7

Do shift differentials apply to the whole shift or only the night hours?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the policy. Some employers pay the differential for the entire shift if the majority of hours fall in the premium window; others pay it hour by hour. Federal law does not pick for you, so check your handbook or contract, then set the differential hours per shift to match.

Question 8

How do I check my shift pay against my paystub?

Accepted Answer

Compare four numbers: total paid hours, base pay, differential pay listed as its own earnings line, and the overtime rate. If the overtime rate on the stub equals exactly 1.5 times your base rate while you also earned a differential that week, your overtime was underpaid — the correct overtime rate is 1.5 times the blended regular rate shown above.

Pattern	Avg hours/week
5 × 8 hours	40
4 × 10 hours (4/10)	40
3 × 12 hours	36
4 × 12 hours	48
Pitman / 2-3-2	42
4-on-4-off (12s)	42

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