Night hours
Hn = length of [start, end] ∩ [night start, night end]
Night Work Premium Calculator
Count the night hours of a shift, even across midnight, using the French default night period of 9 pm to 6 am or your own, then estimate pay with the premium of your agreement.
- France
- Euro
Default period: 9 pm – 6 am, the French Labour Code rule without an agreement. French law sets no premium rate: the 25 % shown is an example, replace it with your agreement’s rate or your own country’s rule.
Enter valid times (start and end cannot be the same) and zero or positive amounts.
Night hours
- Hours outside the night period
- Pay at the normal rate
- Night premium
- Estimated pay for the shift
- Average hourly rate
- Calculation
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How does this tool work?
An evening or night shift often mixes day and night hours, and a night premium applies only to the latter. This calculator counts, to the minute, the part of a shift that falls in the night period, including shifts that run past midnight, then estimates pay with the premium rate you enter. The defaults follow French rules: the night period is the one the French Labour Code applies without a collective agreement, 9 pm to 6 am. In other countries the night period and any premium are set by local law or contracts, so change both fields accordingly.
Under French law, without an agreement, any work between 9 pm and 6 am is night work (article L3122-20). A company or industry agreement may set another period of 9 consecutive hours that includes midnight to 5 am, starts no earlier than 9 pm and ends no later than 7 am, for example 10 pm – 7 am. Some sectors (press, entertainment, shops in international tourist zones) have their own periods. Enter the period that applies to you.
The tool computes the shift length, adding 24 hours when the end is earlier than the start (a shift past midnight), then the overlap between the shift and the night period. The remaining hours are day hours.
Unlike overtime, French law sets no percentage. Night workers are entitled to compensatory rest and, where applicable, financial compensation (article L3122-8): the premium comes from the collective agreement, a company agreement or the contract. The tool applies the rate you enter to night hours only.
How to use this tool
Enter the shift times
If the end is earlier than the start, the shift is treated as ending the next day.
Set the night period
9 pm – 6 am under French law without an agreement, otherwise the period of your agreement, sector or country.
Enter the hourly rate
Use the gross base rate from your payslip.
Enter the premium
Copy the percentage of your agreement; enter 0 if only a flat allowance applies.
Read the split
The tool shows night hours, day hours, premium, total and average rate.
Formulas used
Pay for the shift
P = Ht × rate + Hn × rate × premium
Average hourly rate
Average = P ÷ Ht
- Ht
- total shift length in hours
- Hn
- shift hours inside the night period
- r
- gross hourly rate
- p
- night premium set by the agreement, in %
Breaks are not deducted: subtract them from the shift if they are unpaid.
Use cases
Check paid night hours
Compare the premium hours on your payslip with the night hours of your shifts.
Two- or three-shift rotations
Work out the night share of each team, for example 9 pm – 5 am or 10 pm – 6 am, to compare rotations.
Hospitality, logistics, care
Assess an evening shift that runs past 9 pm or a night shift that ends after 6 am.
Check night-worker status in France
Spot shifts with at least 3 hours in the night period, one of the legal criteria.
Model another country’s rule
Enter your local night period, such as 11 pm – 6 am, and the premium of your contract.
Examples
Shift from 8 pm to 6 am
Only the hour from 8 pm to 9 pm is outside the period. 10 × 15 = €150; 9 × 15 × 0.25 = €33.75.
Input
20:00 – 06:00 · period 9 pm – 6 am · €15/h · +25 %Result
10-hour shift with 9 night hours · premium €33.75 · €183.75 · average €18.38/hSame idea with a 10 pm – 7 am agreement
With the default 9 pm – 6 am period, the same shift would count only 8 night hours: the period changes the result.
Input
22:00 – 07:00 · period 10 pm – 7 amResult
9-hour shift, all of it at nightTips and best practices
- In France, without an agreement, a night worker does at least 3 hours in the night period at least twice a week, or at least 270 night hours over 12 consecutive months.
- French night workers may not exceed, without an agreement, 8 hours per shift and 40 hours on average over 12 weeks (44 hours by agreement).
- Compensatory rest is compulsory for French night workers; the pay premium depends on the agreement.
- Occasional night work does not make you a night worker: only your agreement can grant a premium.
- For a shift of exactly 24 hours, split it into two entries: a start equal to the end is rejected.
- Unpaid breaks are not deducted automatically: take them off the shift yourself.
Sources and references
- Service-Public.fr — Night work in France (opens in a new tab)Page in French
- Code du travail, article L3122-20 : travail de nuit entre 21 heures et 6 heures à défaut d’accord (opens in a new tab), Code du travail numériquePage in French
- Code du travail, article L3122-8 : contreparties au travail de nuit (repos compensateur et, le cas échéant, compensation salariale) (opens in a new tab), Code du travail numériquePage in French
- Code du travail, article L3122-23 : 270 heures de nuit sur 12 mois pour la qualité de travailleur de nuit (opens in a new tab), Code du travail numériquePage in French
Frequently asked questions
Which hours count as night hours in France?
Without a collective agreement, those worked between 9 pm and 6 am. An agreement may use another period of 9 consecutive hours including midnight to 5 am, within 9 pm to 7 am at most.
Is a night premium compulsory?
Not in France: the law sets no rate. It requires compensatory rest for night workers and financial compensation where applicable; the amount comes from the collective agreement, a company agreement or the contract. Other countries have their own rules.
What is a usual rate?
It varies widely: some agreements give a percentage of the hourly rate, others a flat amount per hour or per night. The 25 % default is only an example.
How does the tool handle a shift past midnight?
When the end time is earlier than the start time, it adds 24 hours to the end. A shift from 10 pm to 6 am therefore lasts 8 hours.
Are breaks deducted?
No. If your break is unpaid, shorten the shift accordingly or subtract it from the result.
Can I use it outside France?
Yes, as a configurable tool: set your local night period and premium. The legal notes on this page describe French law only.
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