By the Time Card Calculator Pro editorial team · Last updated · Overtime maths checked against worked examples
A biweekly time card calculator totals 14 days of clock-in and clock-out times for employees who are paid every other week. The tricky part is overtime: it must be worked out for each workweek, not for the whole two-week period. This calculator shows a subtotal for week 1 and week 2 so you can see exactly where overtime came from.
How biweekly overtime works
The Fair Labor Standards Act treats each workweek as a fixed, recurring period of 168 hours (seven 24-hour days). An employer can't average two weeks together. Compare two employees who both worked 80 hours:
| Employee | Week 1 | Week 2 | Total | Overtime |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 40 | 40 | 80 | 0 hours |
| B | 46 | 34 | 80 | 6 hours |
Employee B is owed 6 hours at time and a half because week 1 went over 40. The calculator gets this right automatically when you choose the weekly overtime rule.
Tips for accurate biweekly time cards
- Start the pay period on the same weekday your workweek starts (often Sunday), so overtime lines up with your payroll system.
- Record lunch punches every day, even if they are the same. Missing punches are the most common cause of payroll corrections.
- Keep the signed PDF. Federal rules require employers to keep time cards for at least 2 years and payroll records for 3 years.
- Paying weekly instead? Use the weekly time card calculator. Need a paper version? Download the free biweekly timesheet template.
Frequently asked questions
Is overtime calculated over 80 hours on a biweekly time card?
No, not under federal rules. The FLSA looks at each 7-day workweek separately, so 45 hours in week 1 and 35 hours in week 2 is 5 hours of overtime even though the two weeks add up to 80. The calculator splits the card into two workweeks and checks each one.
What is the difference between biweekly and semi-monthly pay?
Biweekly pay runs every two weeks, so there are 26 paychecks a year and each period is exactly 14 days. Semi-monthly pay runs twice a month (often the 1st to 15th and 16th to month end), giving 24 paychecks with periods of 13 to 16 days. Semi-monthly periods are part of Time Card Pro.
How do I set the start of the pay period?
Pick the first day of the pay period in the Period starting box. The first workweek begins that day and the second begins 7 days later. Use the arrows to jump to the previous or next pay period.
Can I save the biweekly time card?
The free calculator keeps your current card in this browser and lets you download it as a PDF. With Time Card Pro you can save cards for every employee and pay period and export them to Excel or CSV.
How many hours is a full-time biweekly pay period?
A full-time employee working 40 hours a week works 80 hours in a biweekly pay period. With 26 pay periods that is 2,080 hours a year.