Shift Pay Calculator

1) Paid hours: PaidHours = Round( max(0, GrossHours − BreakHours) )

2) Overtime split: RegularHours = min(PaidHours, max(0, Threshold − HoursWorkedWeek)); OTHours = PaidHours − RegularHours.

3) Base pay: BasePay = (RegularHours × Rate) + (OTHours × Rate × OTMultiplier).

4) Premiums: NightExtra = (Night% × Rate × PremiumHours); WeekendExtra = (Weekend% × Rate × PremiumHours).

5) Holidays: HolidayExtra = (HolidayMultiplier − 1) × Rate × PaidHours.

6) Total: TotalPay = BasePay + PremiumExtras + Stipend. EmployerCost = TotalPay × (1 + Burden%).

Differentials reflect campus coverage demands

Evening labs, residence halls, libraries, and IT operations often require coverage beyond standard hours. A common approach is a night differential of 5–15% added to eligible paid hours. Weekend differentials frequently range from 10–20% to compensate for reduced staffing pools and increased incident response. Use the calculator to model how the same 5.00 paid hours changes when a 10% premium is applied to all hours versus regular hours only. Many campuses also cap premium hours per day, such as 8.00 hours, or exclude student workers from overtime; adjust inputs to mirror local policy terms closely.

Overtime splitting supports contract thresholds

Higher education payroll rules typically apply overtime after a weekly threshold, often 40 hours for non‑exempt staff, with multipliers such as 1.50×. The calculator splits paid hours into regular and overtime based on “hours already worked this week.” For example, if 38 hours are already worked and the shift adds 6.00 paid hours, then 2.00 hours remain regular and 4.00 hours become overtime at the selected multiplier.

Call-back minimums reduce response risk

On-call IT and facilities teams may receive a minimum paid duration when called back to campus. Typical minimums are 2.00–3.00 hours, even if the task takes less time. This supports predictable compensation and faster response to outages. Select “Call‑Back,” enter the minimum, and the calculator will raise paid hours to the minimum after subtracting breaks and applying rounding.

Burdened cost improves departmental budgeting

Departments often budget not only wage payments but also employer costs for benefits, taxes, and institutional overhead. Adding a burden rate (for example, 18–35%) provides a realistic planning number for grant-funded projects and auxiliary services. The calculator estimates employer cost as Total Shift Pay × (1 + Burden%). This helps compare staffing options across roles and shift types.

Exports strengthen audit trails and approvals

Shift approvals frequently require a transparent breakdown: paid hours, overtime, premiums, stipends, and total pay. The built‑in CSV export supports payroll review, while the PDF report works well for department heads and compliance files. Include notes such as “event support” or “lab coverage” to preserve context, then attach the export to your timesheet or budget request.

Q1. Does this calculator replace campus payroll systems?
No. It provides an estimate for planning and verification. Always reconcile results with your institution’s timekeeping, union contract language, and official payroll calculations before submitting.

Q2. How are shifts that cross midnight handled?
If the end time is earlier than the start time, the tool assumes the shift continues into the next day and calculates hours accordingly.

Q3. Can differentials be excluded from overtime hours?
Yes. Use “Apply differentials to” and select “Regular hours only” to model policies that do not pay shift differentials on overtime time.

Q4. What should I enter for stipend-only roles?
Set Pay Basis to “Stipend-Only,” enter the stipend amount, and set the hourly rate to a nominal value if required by your workflow. The total will primarily reflect the stipend plus any selected premiums.

Q5. How does rounding affect paid hours?
Rounding adjusts paid time to common quarter‑hour rules. Choose nearest, round up, round down, or no rounding to match your timekeeping policy.

Q6. Why include an employer burden rate?
Burden adds estimated institutional costs like taxes and benefits. It helps departments compare staffing options and forecast grant or auxiliary budgets using a more complete cost figure.