What is Regular Time? Definition, Calculation & Examples

Regular time meaning refers to the standard working hours for non-exempt employees. It generally does not include overtime. Simply put, it represents the employee’s scheduled hours based on their typical work schedule. The FLSA caps standard work hours at 40 hours per week.

Why is Regular Time Important?

It is crucial to identify how many of an employee’s hours count as regular time, so that you can ensure they are fairly compensated for any overtime worked. If you don’t calculate it correctly, you may accidentally pay your employees inaccurate wages and incur fines from the Department of Labor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1.	Does regular time include breaks?
Ans.	No, you have to subtract unpaid lunch breaks or other non-working hours.
Q2.	Can overtime hours count as regular time?
Ans.	No, overtime calculation in regular time is not included. These two categories of normal work hours and therefore compensated differently.
Q3.	Do regular time rules apply to salaried employees?
Ans.	No, it does not apply to salaried exempt employees because they receive a fixed salary regardless of the hours worked.
Q4.	Can remote work count as regular time?
Ans.	Yes, remote work counts as regular time, and standard working hours still apply to remote employees.
Q5.	How do you calculate regular hours for a workweek?
Ans.	For regular hours calculation for a workweek, you need to follow the steps: 1. Keep an accurate track of the time when an employee starts and ends work. This is generally done with the help of a time tracking software or a punch card. 2. Now, calculate how many hours the employee worked. If the employee logs in at 9 am and ends the day at 6.30 pm, then the working hours will be 9 hours and 30 minutes. 3. If the employee didn’t work an even number of hours, convert the extra minutes into decimals by dividing the minutes by 60. For example, if the working hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., that’s 9 hours and 30 minutes. Divide 30 by 60 to get 0.5, and add this to 9 hours, which gives a total of 9.5 hours worked. 4. Finally, subtract the unpaid time. Let’s say the employee took a half-hour lunch break, so subtract 30 minutes from the above given example. Now, the work hours will be 9 hours flat.
Q6.	What counts towards regular time according to labor laws?
Ans.	It includes the employee’s standard work hours, excluding overtime, generally calculated for non-exempt employees.
Q7.	What is the difference between full-time and regular employees?
Ans.	Let us understand the difference between full time vs regular employees. Full-time refers to employees who generally work around 40 hours per week. In contrast, regular status describes the nature of employment, meaning that the employee has a continuous, ongoing work relationship with the organization. Regular employees can be both full-time and part-time employees. This simply indicates that they do not have a temporary status, rather hired for an indefinite time.
Q8.	What is regular employee status?
Ans.	Regular employee status means that a candidate is hired for a continuous and indefinite period after completing their probationary period.