How to calculate working hours per month? This data, which every pay slip must include, is of great interest to employers, employees, and legislators.
To calculate the number of hours worked per month, simply add up the actual working hours, but it's not that easy in reality. All payroll managers will confirm that calculating the number of hours worked per month is not that straightforward. It should be noted that the pay slip is a document that is strictly regulated by law and carefully analyzed by the employee! Making a mistake in calculating monthly working hours can lead to friction and fines.
If you want to calculate your working hours in just one click: try the completely free online calculator.
You will also find a guide to calculating your working hours with a table accompanied by a template to download
To avoid making mistakes, here are the different concepts, rules, and formulas to follow.
What are the elements to take into account when calculating actual working time?
Legal working hours
In France, the Labor Code requires full-time employees (permanent employment contracts or CDIs) to work a legal working week of 35 hours, or 151.67 hours per month and 1,607 hours per year (we will discuss the details of this calculation later). For part-time employees, the minimum working time is set at 24 hours and is generally limited to 28 hours per week. Unless otherwise agreed, employees must not exceed the maximum working hours.
Payroll managers must first record the number of actual working hours. This data serves as a basis for calculating the number of overtime hours to be paid and paid leave.
According to Article L3121-1 of the French Labor Code, actual working time is "the time during which the employee is at the employer's disposal and complies with their instructions without being able to freely pursue personal activities."
This vague definition of actual working time often leads to confusion. For example, it does not distinguish between the length of time spent in the company and the working time counted for calculating gross salary. It is also legitimate to wonder whether travel time or dressing time should be included in the calculation of the number of hours worked per month.
We will eliminate the vagueness that accompanies this important legal concept by listing the hours that are not included in the calculation of actual working time (dedicated paragraph later).
Maximum number of hours worked per day
The effective daily working time is limited to 10 hours per day, except for exceptions:
- At the request of the employer (the agreement of the labor inspector is required);
- In the event of an emergency justified by an increase in activity (temporarily);
- If an agreement or convention provides for exceeding the limit legal.
Maximum working time per week
The weekly working time is capped at 48 hours in a single week. An average workload of 44 hours per week over a period of 12 consecutive weeks remains acceptable. What about the increase in overtime hours recorded?
What hours are not taken into account in the calculation of monthly working time?
Commuting time
The time spent commuting between home and the workplace is not included in the calculation of actual working time. It may be compensated in rest days for a disabled employee who takes longer to get to their workplace. Please note that the duration of business-related travel (client visits, inter-site travel) is considered actual working time.
Dressing time
Unless provided for in a joint agreement or in the employment contract, the time required for dressing and undressing is not taken into account in calculating the number of hours actually worked.
Break time
The duration of the lunch break is not included in the calculation of hours worked even if the employee remains inside or near the workplace. This rule does not apply if the lunch is of a professional nature or if the employee complies with an employer directive during their lunch break (for example, watching for and responding to calls or emails). This is also the case for short breaks during which the employee remains at the disposal of their employer (e.g., coffee breaks).
Absences
Unlike absences attributed to vacation or occupational illness or accident, absences due to strikes and layoffs are not considered actual working time.
Training
Training carried out outside working hours is excluded from the calculation of working time, except in the case of a collective agreement, company agreement, or branch agreement.
On-call duty
On-call hours are not paid as actual working hours, but they are subject to compensation. However, if the employee on call performs an intervention, their duration is added to the hours worked in the month.
Public holidays
Unless otherwise provided by agreement, only May 1 is converted into actual working time when calculating working hours and salary.
Calculation of working hours per month
The calculation formula for the 151.67 hours per month
Pay slips mention the quota of 151.67 hours per month. The calculation of this capital value for payroll managers is based on the legal weekly working time of 35 hours.
151.67 hours per month = (35 hours per week X 52 weeks per year) / 12 months per year
For the number of legal working hours per year, the formula is as follows:
1,607 hours per year = 228 days X 7 hours per day (rounded to 1600) + 7 hours (solidarity day)
Exceptions to the 35-hour rule
The maximum weekly working time may be capped, by way of derogation, at 60 hours; The agreement of the labor inspectorate must be obtained.
The average duration of 44 hours (cited above) can be increased to 46 - on average - over a period of 12 consecutive weeks after authorization from the labor inspectorate or in the event of a joint agreement (convention, company agreement, branch agreement).
Payroll managers are accustomed to using tools such as Excel tables to calculate working hours per month. Although practical, these tools have many limitations. Skello gta software offers you powerful, yet easy-to-use digital solutions for recording working hours, tracking timekeeping, automating calculations, and managing payroll.
What about overtime?
The employer can extend the employee's working hours beyond the regulatory quota (35 hours per week), but must apply surcharges to calculate the gross salary (salary based on hours):
• 25% for the first 8 hours;
• 50% beyond that.
The number of overtime hours worked is limited to 220 hours per year for each employee, or 1 827 hours per year.
Example of calculating the number of hours worked per week
If an employee works 8 hours per day for 5 days out of 1 week at an hourly rate of 20 euros, they will have completed 40 hours of actual work (8 hours x 5 days = 40 hours/week). Consequently, their pay slip will show five hours of overtime worked at a rate of 25% (20 x 1.25 = 25 euros).
To help you with your calculations, Skello offers an Excel table to calculate overtime.
