Timesheet calculator for retail stores: semi-monthly pay, rounding and breaks
Many stores pay on the 15th and the last day of the month, but overtime is counted in 7-day workweeks that cross those dates. Here is how to keep both straight, with a real pay period worked through.
What matters for retail stores
Pay period and workweek are different things
A semi-monthly period (1st–15th) does not line up with the fixed workweek. Overtime must be worked out per workweek, so a 45-hour week that starts on the 13th puts its overtime in the period it ends in.
Short breaks are paid
Rest breaks of about 20 minutes or less count as hours worked. Only a bona fide meal period (typically 30 minutes or more, fully off duty) can be deducted.
Rounding has to be neutral
Rounding to the nearest 5, 6 or 15 minutes is allowed federally only if it averages out over time. Rounding that only ever trims time is not.
Worked example
1–15 October 2026, semi-monthly, workweek starting Sunday, nearest-15-minute rounding, $16.50/hour, weekly overtime after 40 h at 1.5×.
| Day | Shifts | Unpaid break | Worked | Regular | Overtime | Double time | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu Oct 1 | 9:45 AM–6:00 PM | 30 min | 7:45 | 7:45 | |||
| Fri Oct 2 | 10:00 AM–6:00 PM | 30 min | 7:30 | 7:30 | |||
| Sat Oct 3 | 11:00 AM–7:30 PM | 30 min | 8:00 | 8:00 | |||
| Sun Oct 4 | off | ||||||
| Mon Oct 5 | 10:00 AM–6:00 PM | 30 min | 7:30 | 7:30 | |||
| Tue Oct 6 | 10:00 AM–8:15 PM | 30 min | 9:45 | 9:45 | Inventory | ||
| Wed Oct 7 | 9:45 AM–8:00 PM | 30 min | 9:45 | 9:45 | Inventory | ||
| Thu Oct 8 | 10:00 AM–7:00 PM | 30 min | 8:30 | 8:30 | |||
| Fri Oct 9 | 10:00 AM–7:30 PM | 30 min | 9:00 | 4:30 | 4:30 | ||
| Sat Oct 10 | 10:00 AM–6:00 PM | 30 min | 7:30 | 0:00 | 7:30 | ||
| Sun Oct 11 | off | ||||||
| Mon Oct 12 | 12:00 PM–8:00 PM | 30 min | 7:30 | 7:30 | |||
| Tue Oct 13 | 10:00 AM–6:00 PM | 30 min | 7:30 | 7:30 | |||
| Wed Oct 14 | 10:00 AM–4:00 PM | 30 min | 5:30 | 5:30 | |||
| Thu Oct 15 | off |
Overtime is checked week by week: week 1 (2026-10-01 to 2026-10-03): 23:15 worked, 0:00 overtime; week 2 (2026-10-04 to 2026-10-10): 52:00 worked, 12:00 overtime; week 3 (2026-10-11 to 2026-10-15): 20:30 worked, 0:00 overtime.
How to set it up in Hoursprig
- Choose Semi-monthly and the period start (the 1st or the 16th).
- Set Workweek starts to your fixed workweek day (for example Sunday), so overtime is split correctly inside the period.
- Enter only unpaid meal periods in the break column; leave paid rest breaks in.
- Pick your rounding rule and print or export the timesheet.
Limits
- Hoursprig works out one employee at a time on the free version; every employee and the payroll CSV are Pro.
FAQ
Is overtime calculated on the semi-monthly total?
No. Overtime is per workweek. Hoursprig splits the period into workweeks starting on the day you choose and checks 40 hours in each.
Should I deduct a 15-minute break?
No. Federally, short rest breaks are paid. Only meal periods where the employee is fully off duty can be unpaid.
Can I round 9:52 to 10:00?
With nearest-quarter rounding, 9:52 rounds to 9:45 and 9:53 to 10:00. Hoursprig rounds both ways to the nearest step.
Sources
- US DOL Fact Sheet #23: Overtime Pay (workweek)
- US DOL Fact Sheet #22: Hours Worked (rest breaks)
- 29 CFR 785.48 (rounding)