Payroll review

Payroll and Overtime Troubleshooting Checklist

When a time card and pay stub disagree, compare the raw records in a fixed order. Start with dates and worked time, then test break deductions, the workweek boundary, overtime classification, pay rates, and rounding.

Reviewed July 25, 2026 · Informational calculations only

1. Reconstruct the worked-time record

Collect original punches, edited punches, schedules, approved time cards, break records, and the pay stub. Match every shift to a calendar date and preserve overnight start and end timestamps.

Calculate each shift before looking at the payroll total. This makes it easier to identify a single missing punch, an incorrect AM/PM value, or an automatic meal deduction.

Missing or duplicated shift
AM/PM or midnight rollover error
Unpaid break that was actually worked
Paid rest break incorrectly deducted
Unapproved edit without an audit note

2. Confirm the fixed workweek

Federal overtime generally uses a fixed, recurring period of 168 hours. It does not necessarily follow the calendar week or the biweekly pay-period boundary.

Re-sort the dated hours into the employer’s actual workweeks. Do not average a long week against a short week to remove overtime that was earned in the long week.

3. Check coverage, exemptions, and regional rules

Determine which worker, industry, agreement, and location rules apply. The standard federal calculation generally provides time-and-one-half after 40 hours for covered, nonexempt employees, but exemptions and specialized systems exist.

State rules may add daily overtime, double time, meal premiums, or other protections. Select the relevant region in the main calculator, then confirm current agency guidance.

4. Recheck the regular rate and premiums

Overtime can be wrong even when the overtime-hour count is correct. Certain bonuses, commissions, and shift differentials may affect the regular rate used for the premium calculation.

Compare base hours, premium hours, the regular rate, overtime multiplier, differentials, and included compensation separately. Preserve calculations and supporting policy references.

5. Document and resolve the discrepancy

Write down the disputed date, original record, payroll record, expected result, and difference. Ask payroll or HR to explain any edit, rule, or rate applied. Employees can also consult the applicable labor agency or qualified adviser.

The calculator is a reconciliation aid, not a payroll system or legal conclusion. A clear dated audit trail is more useful than a single unexplained total.

How this works in practice

Employee scenario

An employee who sees 80 regular hours on a biweekly stub can compare raw punches, edits, weekly subtotals, and the stated regular rate before deciding whether the discrepancy is hours, classification, or rate related.

Employer scenario

A payroll reviewer can trace every output back to a source punch, policy rule, rate input, and approval. Resolving the first mismatched layer is faster than recalculating the final net paycheck blindly.

Errors to catch before payroll

Error: Starting with net pay.

Correction: Reconcile worked hours, gross earnings, taxes, and deductions in that order.

Error: Editing a punch without preserving the original.

Correction: Keep actor, timestamp, reason, old value, and new value.

Error: Treating the calculator as a legal classification tool.

Correction: Confirm coverage, exemptions, jurisdiction, and agreements separately.

Decision checklist

✓ Do raw punches match approved time?
✓ Is the workweek boundary correct?
✓ Are premium hours classified correctly?
✓ Does the regular rate include required compensation?

Troubleshooting example

Recorded Week 1 hours: 42.00
Recorded Week 2 hours: 38.00
Pay-stub regular hours: 80.00
Likely issue to test: Two weeks averaged together
Standard federal estimate: 78 regular + 2 overtime

The next step is to confirm the employer’s fixed workweek and the employee’s coverage before treating the estimate as the final amount due.

Frequently asked questions

Why does my pay stub show no overtime after 80 biweekly hours?

A biweekly total can hide a week above 40. Compare the two fixed workweeks separately and confirm whether the standard federal rule or an exception applies.

Why are my calculator hours different by a few hundredths?

The systems may use different rounding precision, punch-rounding rules, or intermediate calculations. Compare raw minutes before comparing rounded decimals.

Can a bonus change my overtime rate?

Some compensation may need to be included in the regular rate. The answer depends on the payment and applicable rules, so review official guidance or qualified advice.

Build a detailed weekly time card

Enter dated start and end times, subtract unpaid breaks, choose a regional rule, and download a printable PDF.

Open the free calculator