Wage Calculators
Use this hub to choose the calculator that matches the pay problem you are trying to quantify. Each tool has a narrower job — missing straight-time hours, overtime, a final paycheck, PTO, notice pay, severance, or another specific component — so the pages do not all try to answer the same query.
On this page: Choose a calculator · Most used · Problem-to-tool guide · Comparison table · FAQ
Choose a Wage Calculator by the Problem You Have
Start with the specific number you need, not with a broad legal label. A worker can have more than one issue at the same time, and one calculator should not be expected to model every remedy.
- Some hours are missing: use the Unpaid Wages Calculator for straight-time hours worked but not paid.
- Overtime is missing or underpaid: use the Overtime Pay Calculator.
- You work in California and need daily/weekly overtime: use the California Overtime Calculator.
- A past paycheck is short: use the Back Pay Calculator for unpaid hours plus optional PTO/vacation in the estimate.
- A raise or corrected rate started late: use the Retro Pay Calculator for the old-rate versus corrected-rate difference across affected hours or pay periods.
- Your pay stub looks wrong: use the Pay Stub Error Calculator to compare expected gross pay with actual gross pay.
- You need to calculate PTO earned: use the PTO Accrual Calculator for accrual per period and available balance.
- Your hourly rate is below a legal minimum: use the Minimum Wage Underpayment Calculator.
- You worked through an auto-deducted meal: use the Unpaid Breaks Calculator.
- You missed a qualifying California meal period: use the California Meal Break Penalty Calculator.
- You are leaving or lost a job: use the final-paycheck, PTO, notice, PILON, severance, or wrongful-termination tools according to the component you need to estimate.
- California final wages were paid late: use the California Waiting Time Penalty Calculator for a potential §203 penalty estimate.
Need the legal rules rather than the arithmetic? Go to the Wage & Employment Law Guides. Keeping legal explanations on the guide pages helps each calculator stay focused on its own calculation intent.
Most Used Wage Calculators
- Unpaid Wages Calculator Missing straight-time hours on a paycheck
- Overtime Pay Calculator Overtime hours and overtime-rate / premium pay
- Back Pay Calculator Past unpaid hours plus optional PTO/vacation
- Final Paycheck Calculator Unpaid hours and optional PTO at separation
- Minimum Wage Underpayment Calculator Direct hourly-rate shortfall below the applicable minimum
- Meal Break Penalty Calculator California meal-period premium by affected workday
- PTO Accrual CalculatorPTO earned per pay period and estimated available balance
- California Overtime CalculatorDaily, weekly, double-time, and seventh-day overtime
- California Waiting Time Penalty CalculatorPotential late-final-wage penalty under Labor Code §203
Problem-to-Calculator Guide
Use the narrowest tool that matches the question you are trying to answer:
- Unpaid Wages Calculator — missing straight-time hours × hourly rate.
- Overtime Pay Calculator — overtime hours, overtime-rate pay, and the additional premium above straight time.
- Back Pay Calculator — unpaid hours from past pay plus optional unused PTO/vacation; it does not automatically add penalties or overtime rules.
- Retro Pay Calculator — delayed raise or corrected rate/salary across affected hours or pay periods, with a simplified hourly overtime correction.
- Pay Stub Error Calculator — expected gross pay versus actual gross pay.
- Minimum Wage Underpayment Calculator — a direct hourly-rate shortfall below the applicable minimum.
- California Minimum Wage 2026 — check current California state, local, fast-food, and covered health-care rate information.
- Unpaid Breaks Calculator — worked-through or auto-deducted break time that was actually unpaid.
- California Meal Break Penalty Calculator — one premium hour per affected workday when the California meal-period premium applies; this is separate from wages for time actually worked.
- Final Paycheck Calculator — unpaid hours plus optional PTO in a final paycheck estimate.
- PTO Payout & Unused Vacation Pay Calculator — unused hours × rate × payout percentage.
- Holiday Pay Calculator — simple base holiday-pay arithmetic when you already know holiday pay is owed.
- Misclassification Cost Calculator — a simplified model of employer payroll-tax exposure and unpaid overtime premium; it does not calculate benefits or every legal remedy.
- Notice Period Calculator — jurisdiction-aware notice-period baseline for supported US, Canada federal, and UK scenarios.
- Pay in Lieu of Notice Calculator — weekly pay × a notice period you already know.
- Severance Pay Calculator — severance using a selected weeks-per-year formula.
- Wrongful Termination Calculator — estimates a wage-loss component after termination; it is not a settlement-value predictor.
- PTO Accrual Calculator — annual allowance ÷ accrual periods, adjusted for carryover, usage, and an optional cap.
- California Overtime Calculator — general California daily, weekly, double-time, and seventh-consecutive-day calculation.
- California Waiting Time Penalty Calculator — potential daily-rate × calendar-day penalty for qualifying late final wages, capped at 30 days.
Wage Calculator Comparison Table
This table shows the primary calculation each tool owns so you can avoid using one calculator for a different legal or mathematical question.
| Calculator | Primary calculation |
|---|---|
| Unpaid Wages | Missing straight-time hours × hourly rate |
| Overtime Pay | Overtime hours and overtime-rate / premium pay |
| Back Pay | Past unpaid hours plus optional PTO/vacation |
| Retro Pay | Old rate/salary versus corrected rate/salary across the affected period |
| Pay Stub Error | Expected gross pay − actual gross pay |
| Minimum Wage Underpayment | Legal minimum − actual hourly rate, multiplied by affected hours |
| California Minimum Wage 2026 | Current-rate compliance check and underpayment estimate for supported categories |
| Unpaid Breaks | Worked, unpaid break minutes × days × hourly rate |
| CA Meal Break Penalty | One premium hour × affected workdays × regular-rate estimate |
| Final Paycheck | Unpaid hours plus optional PTO at separation |
| PTO / Vacation Payout | Unused hours × rate × payout percentage |
| Holiday Pay | Base holiday hours × rate × number of holidays |
| Misclassification Cost | Simplified payroll-tax exposure + unpaid overtime premium model |
| Notice Period | Supported-jurisdiction notice baseline |
| Pay in Lieu of Notice | Weekly pay × known notice weeks |
| Severance Pay | Weekly pay × years of service × selected weeks/year |
| Wrongful Termination | Estimated wage-loss component after termination |
| PTO Accrual | Annual PTO allowance ÷ accrual periods, adjusted for balance changes |
| California Overtime | CA regular, 1.5×, and 2× hours under general daily/weekly rules |
| CA Waiting Time Penalty | Estimated daily rate × qualifying late-final-pay calendar days, max 30 |
Records that improve any estimate
Before calculating, gather the records that match the problem: pay stubs, timecards, work schedules, hourly or salary rate, PTO balance, termination letter, compensation plan, and any notice or severance terms. Better inputs matter more than adding more calculators to the same estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions About Wage Calculators
How do wage calculators work?
Each calculator applies a defined formula to the inputs you provide. Some tools are simple arithmetic, while others include a limited jurisdiction-specific rule. The result is an estimate of the component named on that page, not a complete legal claim value.
Which wage calculator should I use for my situation?
Use the narrowest calculator that matches the problem. Use Unpaid Wages for missing straight-time hours, Overtime Pay for overtime, Pay Stub Error for an expected-versus-actual gross-pay gap, Back Pay for past unpaid hours plus optional PTO, and Final Paycheck for unpaid hours or PTO at separation. The comparison table above covers the full set.
What if I was paid incorrectly over multiple pay periods?
Calculate the affected hours and rates from the actual records for each period. The Back Pay Calculator can estimate past unpaid hours at one entered rate, but it is not a multi-period payroll ledger and does not automatically add overtime, interest, penalties, or changing rates.
Do these calculators apply to both US and Canadian workers?
Some tools are general arithmetic estimators and can be used anywhere when you already know the correct inputs. Others are jurisdiction-specific, such as the California meal-break and minimum-wage tools, or have explicitly supported jurisdiction choices such as the Notice Period Calculator. Always read the scope note on the individual calculator.
Can I use these calculators before contacting my employer?
Yes. A calculator can help organize the numbers before you compare them with payroll records or raise a discrepancy. Keep the underlying timecards, pay stubs, compensation terms, and calculation notes because the result itself is not evidence that a legal violation occurred.
Do the calculator results include taxes or deductions?
Most results are gross-pay estimates unless the individual tool explicitly states otherwise. They generally do not calculate income-tax withholding, benefit deductions, garnishments, interest, or litigation remedies.
What if my employer classified me incorrectly as a contractor?
Use the Misclassification Cost Calculator for its limited financial model, then use the Worker Misclassification Guide for the legal classification tests. The calculator models selected payroll-tax exposure and unpaid overtime premium; it does not calculate lost benefits or decide whether you were legally an employee.
Are these wage calculator results legally binding?
No. The calculators provide informational estimates. Legal entitlement, applicable rates, exemptions, penalties, limitation periods, and recoverable damages depend on the governing law and facts.