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Quick answer
A 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM shift is 8 elapsed hours. Subtract a 30-minute unpaid lunch and the paid time is 7 hours 30 minutes, or 7.50 decimal hours.
Formula or method
8 hours elapsed − 0.5 hour unpaid lunch = 7.5 paid hours
Step-by-step
- Count the elapsed time from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM: 8 hours.
- Convert 30 minutes to 0.5 hour.
- Subtract the unpaid lunch: 8 − 0.5 = 7.5 hours.
Worked example
9:00 AM → 5:00 PM = 8:00 elapsed. After a 0:30 unpaid lunch, paid time = 7:30, which payroll systems often display as 7.50 hours.
How to interpret the result
If the lunch is paid, do not subtract it. If there are multiple unpaid breaks, subtract the total unpaid minutes.
Common mistakes
- Treating 7 hours 30 minutes as 7.30 decimal hours; it is 7.50.
- Subtracting a lunch that is actually paid.
- Forgetting other unpaid breaks.
Frequently asked questions
How many hours is 9 to 5 without lunch?
8 hours.
What if lunch is one hour?
A one-hour unpaid lunch makes the paid time 7 hours.
Is 7:30 the same as 7.30 hours?
No. 7 hours 30 minutes equals 7.50 decimal hours.