Overtime Pay Calculator
Calculate your overtime hours, regular wages, and total gross pay
📋 Earnings Breakdown
How to Calculate Your Overtime Pay
Overtime pay is the additional compensation paid to employees who work more than a set number of hours in a workweek. In most cases under US federal law, overtime is calculated as “time and a half” (1.5 times your regular rate) for any hours worked beyond 40. Follow these steps to calculate your earnings:
- Enter your regular hourly rate — Input your standard hourly pay (e.g., $25.00).
- Enter your total hours worked — Input the total hours you worked during the week (e.g., 48 hours).
- Set the regular hours limit — The default is 40 hours per week, but you can adjust this if your company uses a different threshold.
- Select the overtime multiplier — Choose between Time and a Half (1.5x) or Double Time (2.0x).
- Click “Calculate” — The tool will calculate your regular pay, overtime pay, and total gross earnings.
The Overtime Pay Formula
Calculating overtime involves separating your total hours into regular hours and overtime hours, then applying the appropriate rates:
- Determine Overtime Hours:
Overtime Hours = Total Hours Worked − Regular Hours Limit(if total hours exceed the limit). - Calculate Regular Pay:
Regular Pay = Regular Hours × Regular Rate. - Calculate Overtime Rate:
Overtime Rate = Regular Rate × Overtime Multiplier. - Calculate Overtime Pay:
Overtime Pay = Overtime Hours × Overtime Rate. - Sum for Total Gross Pay:
Total Pay = Regular Pay + Overtime Pay.
For example, if you earn $20.00/hr and work 45 hours in a week:
- Regular hours: 40 hrs. Overtime hours: 5 hrs.
- Regular pay = 40 × $20.00 = $800.00.
- Overtime rate = $20.00 × 1.5 = $30.00/hr.
- Overtime pay = 5 × $30.00 = $150.00.
- Total Gross Pay = $800.00 + $150.00 = $950.00.
Overtime Laws: FLSA Regulations
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) regulates overtime pay in the United States. Key rules include:
- Weekly Threshold: Overtime is calculated on a weekly basis. Hours cannot be averaged over a two-week pay period (e.g., working 50 hours in week 1 and 30 hours in week 2 still requires 10 hours of overtime pay in week 1).
- Daily Overtime: While federal law does not require daily overtime, some states (like California) require overtime pay (1.5x) for any hours worked beyond 8 in a single workday, and double time (2.0x) for hours beyond 12.
- Exempt vs. Non-Exempt: Non-exempt employees are legally entitled to overtime pay. Exempt employees (often salaried professionals, managers, or administrative staff earning above a specific threshold) are typically exempt from overtime laws.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is “time and a half”?
“Time and a half” is the standard rate for overtime pay. It means you receive your regular hourly wage (“time”) plus an additional 50% (“half”) of that wage for every overtime hour worked. This is equivalent to multiplying your regular rate by 1.5.
What is “double time”?
“Double time” is an overtime rate equal to twice your regular hourly wage (regular rate × 2.0). Double time is not required by federal law, but some employers pay it for working holidays, Sundays, or when an employee works extremely long shifts (such as over 12 hours in a day in California).
How do I calculate overtime if I am salaried?
If you are a non-exempt salaried employee, first convert your salary to an hourly equivalent: divide your weekly salary by your standard weekly hours (usually 40). Then, calculate your overtime rate (1.5x this hourly equivalent) for any hours worked beyond 40.
Can my employer require me to work overtime?
Yes. Under federal law, employers can require employees to work mandatory overtime, provided they are compensated at the legal overtime rate for those hours. There is no federal limit on the number of hours an employee can work in a week, as long as they are at least 16 years old.
Understanding Overtime Laws and “Time and a Half”
In the United States, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) mandates that covered non-exempt employees must receive overtime pay for any hours worked over 40 in a single workweek. The federally mandated overtime rate is at least one and a half times the employee’s regular rate of pay, commonly referred to as “time and a half.”
Exempt vs. Non-Exempt Employees
Not everyone is legally entitled to overtime pay. It is crucial to understand your employment classification:
- Non-Exempt Employees: These are typically hourly workers (like retail staff, factory workers, or administrative assistants). They are legally guaranteed overtime pay under federal law.
- Exempt Employees: These are usually salaried professionals holding executive, administrative, or highly technical roles (like software engineers or managers) who earn above a specific salary threshold. They do not legally qualify for overtime pay, regardless of how many hours they work.
How to Calculate Your Overtime Manually
If your standard hourly wage is $20.00 per hour, your “time and a half” rate is calculated by multiplying $20.00 by 1.5, which equals $30.00 per hour. If you work 45 hours in a week, you would calculate your standard pay (40 hours × $20 = $800) and add your overtime pay (5 hours × $30 = $150), resulting in a gross weekly paycheck of $950. Our Overtime Pay Calculator automates this math, allowing you to instantly project your weekly, monthly, and annual take-home pay based on your overtime schedule.