Overtime Calculator
See how many of your hours are regular, time-and-a-half and double time, and what that does to your gross pay. Federal 40-hour rule or a state daily rule.
Regular 1.5× 2×
| Type | Hours | Rate | Pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular | 40.00 | $20.00 | $800.00 |
| Overtime 1.5× | 7.00 | $30.00 | $210.00 |
| Double time 2× | 0.00 | $40.00 | $0.00 |
General information, not legal or payroll advice. Your employer’s regular rate can include shift differentials and non-discretionary bonuses, and contracts can be more generous than the law.
Why the same week pays differently in California
Use the example buttons above and switch the rule between Federal and California. Four 12-hour days is 48 hours. Federally, only the 8 hours past 40 are overtime. In California each day’s hours 9–12 are overtime first (16 hours), and the weekly rule then finds only 32 regular hours, so nothing more is added. No hour is ever paid twice. Try “7 days straight” under California: the seventh day of a workweek is overtime from its first hour, and double time after 8.
Quick check: total hours only
40 regular hours + 6 overtime hours at $30.00.
The federal overtime rule, in plain words
The Fair Labor Standards Act requires covered, non-exempt employees to be paid at least one and a half times their regular rate for hours worked over 40 in a workweek (U.S. Department of Labor, Fact Sheet #23). A workweek is any fixed, recurring 168-hour period your employer sets; it need not start on Monday. Overtime can’t be averaged across two weeks, and there is no federal limit on daily hours.
States with daily overtime
- California: 1.5× over 8 hours in a workday and for the first 8 hours on the seventh consecutive day of a workweek; 2× over 12 hours in a day and over 8 on the seventh day (Labor Code §510).
- Alaska: 1.5× over 8 hours a day or 40 a week (AS 23.10.060).
- Nevada: 1.5× over 8 hours in a 24-hour period for employees paid less than 1.5× the state minimum wage (NRS 608.018).
- Colorado: 1.5× over 12 hours in a workday or 40 a week (COMPS Order).
The full list for every state is on overtime rules by state. To see your 1.5× and 2× rates at a glance, use the time and a half calculator; to total punches first, the time card calculator.
Questions people ask
How is overtime pay calculated?
Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, non-exempt employees get at least 1.5 times their regular rate of pay for every hour over 40 in a workweek. Overtime pay = overtime hours × hourly rate × 1.5. At $20 an hour, 6 overtime hours pay 6 × $30 = $180 on top of $800 for the first 40.
Is overtime calculated daily or weekly?
Federally it is weekly: over 40 hours in a fixed 7-day workweek. A few states also have daily overtime. California pays 1.5× after 8 hours in a day and 2× after 12; Alaska and Nevada (for lower-paid workers) pay 1.5× after 8 hours; Colorado after 12.
Do paid holidays or sick days count toward overtime?
Not under the FLSA. Overtime is based on hours actually worked, so paid time off for holidays, vacation or sickness does not count toward the 40 hours, unless a contract or company policy says it does.
Can overtime be averaged over two weeks?
No. The Department of Labor says each workweek stands alone. 50 hours one week and 30 the next still earns 10 overtime hours for the first week, even though the two-week total is 80.
Who is exempt from overtime?
Executive, administrative and professional employees who meet the duties tests and salary threshold, plus some outside sales and computer roles, among others. Exemption depends on job duties and pay, not on the job title. See the Department of Labor’s Fact Sheet #17A.