True Labor Burden Calculator
If you estimate jobs based on a $35/hr wage, you are losing money on every hour worked. Calculate the exact, true cost per hour of your crew right now.
Employee Details
Standard Assumptions Included
This calculator automatically includes mandatory employer payroll taxes: FICA (7.65%) and FUTA/SUTA (avg. 1.5%).
The Real Cost of Labor
Stop guessing. Track real labor costs daily.
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When a contractor builds an estimate assuming a carpenter costs $35 an hour, they are guaranteeing a massive loss. The **true labor burden** is the hidden cost of putting an employee in the field.
Every hour an employee works, the employer pays mandatory FICA taxes (Social Security and Medicare matching), State and Federal unemployment taxes (SUTA/FUTA), Worker's Compensation insurance based uniquely on the worker's class code, General Liability coverage, and any health or retirement benefits.
How to Calculate Labor Burden
The formula requires taking the gross yearly wage and adding all employer-paid taxes, insurance premiums, and benefit costs, then dividing that total number by the **total workable hours** (usually around 2,000 hours assuming 2 weeks of vacation per 2,080 standard annual availability). If you bill a client simply using the base rate, you are effectively paying the un-captured burden out of your own profit margin.