Paycheck Hours Verifier

Does your pay stub match your punches? Enter both figures — decimal or h:mm — and see the difference priced in dollars, plus the four places missing hours usually hide.

Compare your stub to your punches

Hours can be entered as decimal (78.25) or h:mm (78:15).

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Where missing hours usually go

When a stub comes up short, it's almost always one of four leaks. Auto-deducted lunches — the system removes 30 or 60 minutes daily whether you took the break or not; if you worked through lunch, that's unpaid work. Rounding drift — quarter-hour rounding is legal only when neutral; check what your punches become in the rounding calculator. Off-the-clock minutes — booting up systems, pre-shift meetings, closing duties after clock-out. Overtime paid as straight time — 44 hours paid at 44 × rate instead of 40 + 4 at 1.5×; your state's threshold is in the overtime laws lookup.

Small gaps compound: 15 short minutes a day at $18/hour is $4.50 daily — about $1,170 a year. That's why comparing stub vs punches every payday matters.

How to keep your own record

Track punches yourself in the time card calculator (entries auto-save in your browser) or on a printed timesheet template, using exact times rather than estimates. When the stub arrives, put both numbers in above — the tool converts formats and prices the gap for you. Note that stubs show decimal hours: 78:15 is 78.25, not 78.15 (the decimal converter explains this classic mix-up).

If the gap is real

Start politely — most discrepancies are system errors, and payroll can rerun a period. Bring your punch record. If it isn't resolved, wage claims are filed with your state labor department (or the U.S. DOL Wage and Hour Division); most states allow recovery going back two to three years, and keeping your own contemporaneous record is exactly the evidence those claims run on. This tool shows the math — it isn't legal advice.

Frequently asked questions

My stub shows fewer hours than I worked — is that legal?

You must be paid for all hours worked. Small gaps are often rounding or auto-deducted meal breaks; recurring gaps are worth raising with payroll, with your own punch record in hand.

Is 78:15 the same as 78.15 hours?

No — 78:15 (78 hours 15 minutes) is 78.25 in decimal. Stubs use decimal, which causes this exact confusion; this tool accepts both formats.

How far back can unpaid wages be claimed?

Commonly two years under federal law (three for willful violations), and some states allow more. Your state labor department handles claims.

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