Overtime under federal law
The Fair Labor Standards Act requires employers to pay non-exempt employees at least one and a half times their regular rate for every hour over 40 in a workweek. A workweek is any fixed, recurring 168-hour period; hours do not carry over between weeks, and weekends or holidays do not trigger overtime by themselves.
Worked example
At $20 an hour for 48 hours:
- Regular pay: 40 × $20 = $800
- Overtime: 8 × $30 = $240
- Total: $1,040 for the week
The extra half-time part of the overtime, $80 here, is the overtime premium.
State rules
Some states go further: California pays overtime after 8 hours in a day and double time after 12, and Alaska and Nevada have daily overtime too. Union contracts may set double time for certain shifts. Use the multiplier and threshold fields to match your rules.
How this works
Hours up to the threshold are paid at the regular rate; hours above it at the rate times the multiplier. The page shows regular pay, overtime hours, the overtime rate, overtime pay and the premium (the part above straight time). Taxes are not included; use the paycheck calculator for take-home pay.
Frequently asked
How is overtime calculated?
Hours over 40 in a workweek × 1.5 × your regular hourly rate.
Do salaried employees get overtime?
Non-exempt salaried employees do; exempt employees who meet the salary and duties tests do not.
Is weekend work overtime?
Not by itself under federal law; only hours over 40 in the week count.
What is double time?
Twice the regular rate, required by some states such as California after 12 hours in a day.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Labor — Overtime pay (FLSA)
- U.S. Department of Labor — Wages and the Fair Labor Standards Act
Reviewed Oct 17, 2026 · test vectors fixtures/calculators/finance/us/overtime-calculator/