Overtime is per workweek, not per 80 hours
The most common biweekly payroll mistake: adding both weeks and paying overtime only above 80 hours. In the US, overtime is owed for any hour over 40 in a single workweek. Working 45 hours in week 1 and 35 hours in week 2 is 5 overtime hours — even though the two-week total is exactly 80. This calculator applies the rule week by week.
How to fill in a biweekly timesheet
Start with day 1 of the pay period
Use the first day of the pay period, not the 1st of the month — for biweekly pay those are almost never the same day.
Enter the times for all 14 days
Type a start and end time in each row. If you split your day for lunch, use the second In/Out pair on the same row.
Set your unpaid break
Pick the unpaid break length for days with one complete time pair. With two complete pairs, breaks are already excluded, so no extra lunch is deducted.
Read week 1 and week 2 separately
The summary gives each week its own total and its own overtime figure before showing the pay period total.
Export it for payroll
Download all 14 days as a CSV, or print a two-week timesheet with weekly subtotals.
Biweekly pay, hourly rate and annual salary
Biweekly means every two weeks: 26 pay periods a year, or 27 in some years. A full two-week period is normally 80 hours, so dividing biweekly gross pay by 80 gives the hourly rate.
Frequently asked questions
- Is overtime calculated on 80 hours for a biweekly pay period?
- No. Overtime is measured per workweek, not per pay period. 45 hours + 35 hours = 5 overtime hours.
- If I earn $2,000 biweekly, how much is that per hour?
- $2,000 / 80 hours = $25 per hour, about $52,000 a year over 26 pay periods.
- How much is biweekly pay at $18 an hour?
- $18 × 80 = $1,440 gross for a full two-week period, about $37,440 a year before tax.
- Are biweekly and semimonthly the same?
- No. Biweekly is every 14 days (26 periods), semimonthly is twice a month (24 periods).
- How many pay periods are there in a year?
- 26 in a normal year, occasionally 27.
- Can the period cross two months?
- Yes. The timesheet is built around 14 days, not calendar months.
- How do I calculate a biweekly timesheet?
- Enter start and end times for all 14 days. The calculator totals each week separately and calculates overtime per workweek, then adds the two weekly totals for the pay period. Enter your hourly rate to see gross pay.
- Does this biweekly calculator deduct lunch breaks?
- The selected unpaid break is deducted on days with one complete time pair. With two complete time pairs, breaks are already excluded and no extra lunch is deducted. This rule applies to both weeks. Only deduct unpaid breaks.
- Can I print or export the 14-day timesheet?
- Yes. Click Download CSV to export both weeks in one file, with one row per day and hours in hh:mm and decimal format. Click Print for a printable two-week timesheet.
- Do I enter times in 12-hour or 24-hour format?
- The time input format depends on your browser and device settings. Use AM/PM where shown, or enter times in 24-hour format. The decimal column shows worked duration, not the clock time: 8 hours 15 minutes becomes 8.25 hours.