OraCalculate night shift pay
Identify the worked time inside the applicable night window, remove unpaid breaks from the time they occupy, then apply the premium specified by the employment arrangement.
On this page
Define the night window
Start with the actual rule, including its start and finish, eligible days and premium type. A 22:00–06:00 window is a useful demonstration, but it is not a universal definition of night work. The boundary can differ from the shift’s start.
Work after midnight belongs to a new calendar date even when it is part of the same shift. Keep dated start and finish records so the appropriate recurring window can be matched to each part.
Find the overlap
Assume a 20:00–04:00 next-day shift and a chosen 22:00–06:00 night window on an ordinary night. The 20:00–22:00 portion is two other hours; 22:00–04:00 is six night hours. Eight elapsed hours do not mean eight night hours.
If clocks change, count the real elapsed time inside the window. A repeated local hour may occur twice; a skipped hour is not an hour actually elapsed. An ambiguous start or finish needs resolution before an estimate can be trusted.
Place unpaid breaks
For that shift, an unpaid break from 01:00 to 01:30 leaves 5.5 paid night hours and two other paid hours. The same half-hour break at 21:00 leaves six paid night hours and 1.5 other paid hours. Both shifts have 7.5 paid hours, but the premium differs.
At an illustrative €3 additional premium per night hour, the first break placement gives €16.50 premium and the second gives €18.00. A single unpositioned break total cannot distinguish those outcomes.
Confirm the actual rule
Check the employment agreement and official guidance for your location. Ask whether eligibility covers part of a shift or the whole shift, whether a minimum number of night hours applies, and whether premiums stack with overtime, weekends or holidays.
These examples assume a premium only for paid time inside the window, with no overtime or other premium stacking. They estimate gross earnings and do not establish entitlement or take-home pay.
Common questions
When does night shift start?
Use the night window that applies to your agreement and location. The 22:00 example on this page is a chosen demonstration.
Does every worker receive extra night pay?
This guide assumes no universal entitlement. Eligibility and the amount depend on the rules that apply to the work.
What if my shift crosses midnight?
Use actual dates and split the worked interval at the relevant window boundaries. Place each unpaid break where it occurred.
Results are estimates before tax. Rules and actual pay vary with your contract, location, payroll and deductions. About these estimates.
