Calculate your overtime pay at 1.5x and 2x rates under FLSA federal law and state-specific rules. See exactly what you're owed for extra hours — including California daily overtime and double time.
Federal and state overtime rules and rates
Enter your hourly rate and total hours worked to see exactly how much overtime pay you're owed — including regular pay, time and a half, and double time calculations.
Open Salary Converter →Overtime pay in the United States is primarily governed by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), enacted in 1938. The FLSA establishes the foundational rule: non-exempt employees must receive overtime pay at no less than 1.5 times their regular rate of pay for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek. This "time and a half" rule is the cornerstone of federal wage protection for American workers.
Key FLSA definitions that affect overtime calculations:
Workweek: A fixed, regularly recurring period of 168 hours (7 consecutive 24-hour days). The workweek does not have to start on Monday — employers can set any consistent 7-day period as the workweek. Hours cannot be averaged across two or more weeks to avoid overtime.
Regular rate of pay: Not just the base hourly wage, but includes most forms of compensation — shift differentials, production bonuses, and commissions. The regular rate is calculated by dividing total weekly compensation (excluding overtime premiums and specific exclusions) by total hours worked.
Non-exempt vs. exempt employees: The FLSA divides workers into those who are entitled to overtime (non-exempt) and those who are not (exempt). Most hourly workers are non-exempt. Salaried employees may be exempt if they meet both a salary level test and a duties test.
The overtime pay calculation follows a straightforward formula for employees paid a single hourly rate:
Step 1: Identify regular hours (up to 40) and overtime hours (above 40).
Step 2: Calculate regular pay: Regular Rate × 40 hours
Step 3: Calculate overtime pay: Regular Rate × 1.5 × overtime hours
Step 4: Add regular pay and overtime pay for total weekly gross
Examples:
$18/hr, 45 hours worked:
Regular: $18 × 40 = $720
Overtime: $18 × 1.5 × 5 = $135
Total: $855
$22/hr, 50 hours worked:
Regular: $22 × 40 = $880
Overtime: $22 × 1.5 × 10 = $330
Total: $1,210
$15/hr, 60 hours worked:
Regular: $15 × 40 = $600
Overtime: $15 × 1.5 × 20 = $450
Total: $1,050
Understanding who is entitled to overtime is one of the most important — and most frequently misunderstood — aspects of wage law. The key distinction is between exempt and non-exempt employees.
Non-exempt employees are entitled to overtime pay for all hours over 40 per week. Most hourly workers are automatically non-exempt. Many salaried workers are also non-exempt if they earn below the salary threshold.
Exempt employees are not entitled to FLSA overtime. To be exempt, an employee must generally meet TWO tests: (1) a salary level test (earning at least $844/week in 2024, subject to change) AND (2) a duties test — their primary job duties must qualify for one of the exemption categories.
The three main exemption categories:
Executive exemption: Primary duty is managing the enterprise or a department, regularly directs the work of 2+ full-time employees, and has authority over hiring/firing (or significant input).
Administrative exemption: Primary duty is office/non-manual work directly related to management or general business operations, AND the employee exercises discretion and independent judgment with respect to matters of significance.
Professional exemption: Primary duty is work requiring advanced knowledge in a field of science or learning acquired by a prolonged course of specialized intellectual instruction (learned professionals), OR primary duty requires invention, imagination, originality, or talent in a recognized artistic field (creative professionals).
While the FLSA sets the federal floor for overtime protection, states can and do enact more protective laws. Several states have daily overtime rules that trigger overtime pay based on hours worked in a single day — regardless of weekly hours.
California: The most comprehensive daily overtime law. California requires 1.5× pay for all hours over 8 in a workday, 1.5× pay for the first 8 hours on the 7th consecutive workday in a workweek, and double time (2×) for hours over 12 in a workday or for all hours worked on the 7th consecutive day. A California employee who works 9 hours Monday and 31 hours the rest of the week (40 total) must receive 1 hour of overtime pay — despite not exceeding 40 weekly hours.
Alaska: Requires 1.5× for all hours over 8 in a workday, similar to California but without the 7th day provisions.
Nevada: Requires daily overtime (1.5×) for hours over 8 in a workday for employees earning less than 1.5× the Nevada minimum wage.
Colorado: Overtime required for all hours over 12 in a workday or 40 in a workweek, whichever results in more OT hours.
Oregon and Washington: Follow federal weekly threshold for most workers but have specific rules for agricultural workers and certain other industries.
Double time (2× the regular rate) is not required under federal law but is mandated in some states and included in many union contracts and employer policies. Under California law, double time is required for hours over 12 in a workday and for all hours worked on the 7th consecutive day of a workweek.
Many employers offer double time voluntarily for holidays, nights, or other undesirable shifts as a recruitment and retention incentive. Check your employee handbook or collective bargaining agreement for any employer-specific double time provisions that may exceed the legal minimum.
A common misconception is that all salaried employees are automatically exempt from overtime. This is incorrect. The salary level test requires earnings of at least $844/week ($43,888/year) in 2024. Salaried workers below this threshold are typically entitled to overtime even if their job duties would otherwise qualify for an exemption.
Misclassification — labeling workers as exempt to avoid paying overtime — is one of the most common wage and hour violations. The Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division investigates these complaints. If you believe you are wrongly classified as exempt, document your hours, keep pay stubs, and consider consulting an employment attorney. The statute of limitations for FLSA claims is generally 2 years (3 years for willful violations), and successful plaintiffs can recover back wages, an equal amount in liquidated damages, and attorney's fees.
Overtime Pay = Hourly Rate × 1.5 × Overtime Hours (hours over 40/week). Example: $20/hr, 48 hours: Regular = $20 × 40 = $800. OT = $20 × 1.5 × 8 = $240. Total = $1,040. Some states add daily OT for hours over 8/day.
Non-exempt employees — most hourly workers and salaried workers earning below $844/week ($43,888/year in 2024). Salaried workers above this threshold may be exempt if they meet executive, administrative, or professional duties tests under the FLSA.
California requires 1.5× for hours over 8 in a workday AND for hours over 40 in a workweek. Double time (2×) applies for hours over 12 in a workday or all hours on the 7th consecutive workday — making California's OT rules among the most protective in the US.
Many are. Salaried employees earning below $844/week are typically entitled to overtime. Above this threshold, it depends on whether their job duties qualify for an executive, administrative, or professional exemption. Misclassification as exempt is a common FLSA violation.