Hours are start time to end time minus unpaid breaks. Anything over 40 hours in a week is shown as overtime at 1.5 times your rate, the federal rule for most hourly employees.
Who this template is for
- Hourly employees whose employer asks for a signed timesheet.
- Small business owners and household employers who need a simple record for each worker.
- Freelancers tracking hours to bill. Set the rate to what you charge and ignore the overtime lines if they do not apply.
How to use it
- Choose weekly or biweekly and enter the first day of your work week.
- Add your usual start time, end time and unpaid break. Monday to Friday fill in automatically.
- Download it. Print the PDF to complete by hand, or use the Excel file, where changing any time updates the totals.
Example: a 44-hour week at $20 an hour
Four of the hours are over the 40-hour line, so they are paid at $30 instead of $20.
| Line | Hours | Rate | Pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular | 40.00 | $20.00 | $800.00 |
| Overtime | 4.00 | $30.00 | $120.00 |
| Gross pay | 44.00 | $920.00 |
Gross pay is before taxes. The paycheck calculator shows what you would take home.
How overtime is counted
Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, most hourly employees earn at least 1.5 times their regular rate for hours over 40 in a work week. Each week stands alone, so 50 hours one week and 30 the next still means 10 overtime hours, even though the average is 40.
Some states add their own rules. California, for example, generally also requires overtime after 8 hours in a day. This template uses the 40-hour weekly rule, so check your state's rules if you think another applies.
Set the start date to your employer's work week
Employers define a fixed seven-day work week, which does not have to begin on a Monday. Start the timesheet on the first day of yours, or the weekly overtime totals may not match payroll.
Common questions
Is this timesheet template really free?
Yes. There is no signup, no watermark and no limit on downloads.
Can I use it for shifts that end after midnight?
Yes. In the Excel file, a shift from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM counts as 8 hours before breaks. Enter the shift on the day it started.
How do I open the timesheet in Google Sheets?
Download the Excel file, then in Google Sheets choose File, then Import, and upload it. The formulas carry over.
Are breaks paid?
Federal rules generally treat short breaks of about 5 to 20 minutes as paid time and bona fide meal periods, usually 30 minutes or more, as unpaid. Enter only unpaid break minutes.
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Sources
Templates are for general record-keeping and planning, not tax, legal or financial advice.