How to use the overtime calculator
- Enter the total hours worked in the workweek, including the overtime hours. Do not enter only the extra hours.
- Enter the hourly rate before deductions.
- Choose the overtime rule that applies: over 40 in a week under federal law, over 8 in a day, or the California pattern.
- If California rules apply and someone passed 12 hours in a day or worked a seventh consecutive day, enter those hours in the double-time field.
- Read the split: regular hours, overtime hours, regular pay, overtime pay and gross pay for the week.
How time and a half is actually calculated
Overtime at one and a half means the hourly rate multiplied by 1.5, then paid for each qualifying hour. At $18 an hour the overtime rate is 18 x 1.5 = $27, and at $31 it is $46.50. The multiplier applies to the regular rate of pay, which for most hourly workers is their posted rate but can be higher when nondiscretionary bonuses or shift differentials fall in the week.
Worked example: 45 hours at $18
Under the federal rule, the first 40 hours are regular and the remaining 5 are overtime.
- Regular pay: 40 x $18 = $720.00
- Overtime rate: $18 x 1.5 = $27.00
- Overtime pay: 5 x $27 = $135.00
- Gross pay: $720 + $135 = $855.00
Check it a second way: 45 x $18 = $810 of straight time, plus a half-rate premium of 5 x $9 = $45, giving $855.00 again. The five overtime hours are worth $135 rather than the $90 they would earn at the base rate.
Daily rules against weekly rules
Federal law counts by the week only. Overtime is owed on hours past 40 in a fixed workweek of seven consecutive 24-hour periods, and a 14-hour Tuesday triggers nothing if the week still lands at 40 or less. A few states add a daily trigger. California pays 1.5x past 8 hours in a day and past 40 in a week, and 2x past 12 in a day. Alaska has a daily rule at 8 hours, Nevada at 8 hours for employees earning under one and a half times the state minimum wage, and Colorado at 12 hours. Rules change, so confirm your own state on the overtime rules by state page and treat nothing here as legal advice.
The same week can therefore produce two different paychecks. Take five days of 10, 9, 8, 13 and 6 hours at $20, which is 46 hours in all.
| Day | Hours | Regular | At 1.5x | At 2x |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 |
| Tuesday | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| Wednesday | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Thursday | 13 | 8 | 4 | 1 |
| Friday | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Week | 46 | 38 | 7 | 1 |
Under the California pattern the pay is 38 x $20 = $760, plus 7 x $30 = $210, plus 1 x $40 = $40, for a gross of $1,010.00. Under the federal weekly rule alone the same 46 hours give 40 x $20 = $800 plus 6 x $30 = $180, a gross of $980.00. The daily rule is worth $30 more that week, because Thursday's long day is priced hour by hour rather than absorbed into a weekly count.
Double time and the seventh day
Double time is not a federal concept. Where it exists it comes from state law or a union contract. In California it applies to hours past 12 in a single workday, and on a seventh consecutive workday the first 8 hours are paid at 1.5x with anything beyond that at 2x. At $20 an hour, double time is $40. Double time on holidays is a policy choice rather than a legal requirement, so check the handbook. California weeks are easier to enter day by day on the California overtime calculator.
Salary does not always mean no overtime
Being paid a salary is not what decides overtime eligibility. Exemption generally depends on the duties performed and on the salary being at or above a threshold set by the Department of Labor. That threshold has been revised more than once in recent years, so check the current DOL figure before classifying anyone.
Salaried non-exempt employees are owed overtime like anyone else. The calculation starts by converting the salary to an hourly regular rate, which depends on how many hours the salary is understood to cover. If a $900 weekly salary is intended for a 40-hour week, the regular rate is 900 / 40 = $22.50, and five overtime hours add 5 x $33.75 = $168.75. Other arrangements, such as a fluctuating workweek, price the rate differently, so get it in writing and confirm it against DOL guidance.
Frequently asked questions
How much is time and a half for $18 an hour?
$27.00 per overtime hour. Multiply the base rate by 1.5. Five such hours pay $135 on top of the regular pay for the first 40 hours.
Do I get overtime for working more than 8 hours in a day?
Not under federal law, which counts only hours past 40 in the workweek. Several states, California and Alaska among them, do add a daily trigger. Select the daily rule in the calculator if your state has one.
Does paid time off count toward the 40 hours?
Under federal rules overtime is owed on hours actually worked, so holiday pay, vacation and sick leave usually do not push a week over 40. Some employers count them anyway as a matter of policy, so check yours.
What counts as a workweek for overtime?
Any fixed and regularly recurring block of seven consecutive 24-hour periods. It need not start on Monday or match the pay period, but once set it should not be shifted to avoid paying overtime.
When does double time apply?
Only where a state law or a contract calls for it. California is the main example, past 12 hours in a day and past 8 hours on a seventh consecutive workday. Enter those hours separately so they are priced at 2x.
Can my employer average two weeks to avoid overtime?
No. Each workweek stands alone, so 50 hours followed by 30 hours still owes 10 hours of overtime rather than netting out to 80. Biweekly pay periods do not change how the weeks are counted.
How do I work out my overtime hours in the first place?
Total the daily in and out times for the week, then subtract unpaid meal breaks. The timesheet calculator does that and applies the overtime rule at the same time, and the hours calculator handles a single day.