Learn how to calculate hours inside a night period, handle shifts crossing midnight and distinguish pay premiums from compensatory rest.
A night shift raises two separate calculations: total time worked and the portion of that time that actually falls inside the applicable night period.
The figures are not necessarily the same. A shift can start in the evening, cross midnight and finish in the morning while only part of it is classified inside the configured night period.
A 20:00–04:00 shift lasts eight hours: four hours before midnight and four after it.
The work hours calculator handles midnight crossings and can subtract non-working breaks.
For illustration only, configure a night period from 21:00 to 06:00. On a 20:00–04:00 shift, one hour falls outside the period and seven hours fall inside it.
The night work premium calculator calculates this overlap automatically, including when both periods cross midnight.
French night-work rules can be defined by collective agreement, with statutory rules applying where appropriate. The calculator therefore keeps the start and end of the night period configurable.
Its purpose is to reproduce the period that applies to the situation, not to impose one schedule on every sector.
No. Do not automatically turn “night hour” into “+25%”.
French official guidance provides for compensatory measures for night workers, particularly rest, while salary compensation may also be provided. The exact arrangements depend on the applicable framework.
The calculator’s premium percentage is therefore a simulation parameter.
Suppose seven hours fall inside the configured night period, the hourly rate is €15 and the applicable arrangement provides a 25% premium.
Base pay for those hours is 7 × 15 = €105. The simulated premium is €105 × 25% = €26.25, giving €131.25 for those hours in this scenario.
This does not reconstruct the full payslip.
Occasionally working during night hours and meeting the legal definition of a night worker are different questions. Status can depend on frequency, duration and the applicable framework.
A time-overlap calculator cannot determine that legal status on its own.
An hour can be both inside the night period and overtime. First calculate the week’s total and use the overtime guide, then analyse the night component.
Do not automatically stack percentages without checking the applicable provisions.
The same caution applies when a night shift falls on Sunday or a public holiday. Use the Sunday/public-holiday calculator for a separate simulation and consult the dedicated guide.
Keep the shift date, start and end times, breaks and total. A shift crossing midnight touches two calendar dates, so retaining the source data is important.
The Excel timesheet generator creates a monthly record, while our timesheet guide explains how to keep it auditable.
Calculate total shift duration first, then its overlap with the applicable night period. Only after that should you apply any salary premium that is actually provided.
A pre-filled percentage in a calculator is a calculation scenario, not evidence of a legal entitlement.
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Learn how to calculate actual working time, handle breaks, split shifts, midnight crossings and decimal hours.
Understand weekly overtime counting, premium bands, pay calculations and annual tracking through practical examples.
Understand different compensatory-rest calculations, convert premium rates into time and track balances without mixing distinct schemes.