Working extra hours should mean extra pay. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ensures that most hourly employees in the U.S. are compensated fairly for time worked beyond the standard 40-hour workweek. Our Overtime Calculator makes it easy to figure out your total pay, including your premium overtime earnings. Whether you're planning your budget around extra hours or just want to verify that your paycheck is correct, this tool gives you a clear and accurate calculation of your total gross wages for any pay period.
How to Use the Overtime Calculator
Calculating your total pay, including overtime, is simple. Just provide the following information:
- Enter Your Hourly Rate: Input your regular, non-overtime rate of pay per hour.
- Enter Regular Hours: Input the number of non-overtime hours you worked during the pay period (typically up to 40).
- Enter Overtime Hours: Add the number of overtime hours you worked.
- Set Overtime Rate: The standard rate is 1.5x, but you can adjust it if your company or state has a different rule (e.g., for double time).
- Calculate Your Pay: Click the button to see a full breakdown of your regular pay, overtime pay, and total gross pay.
Understanding Overtime Pay
Overtime pay is a premium rate paid to eligible employees for hours worked beyond a certain threshold. Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the standard is simple: for any hours worked over 40 in a single workweek, a non-exempt employee must be paid at a rate of at least 1.5 times their regular rate of pay. This is commonly known as "time and a half."
Exempt vs. Non-Exempt Employees
The key to overtime eligibility is your employment classification. The FLSA divides employees into two categories:
- Non-Exempt Employees: These employees are protected by the FLSA and are legally entitled to overtime pay. Most employees who are paid on an hourly basis are non-exempt.
- Exempt Employees: These employees are not eligible for overtime pay. To be considered exempt, an employee must generally meet all three of the following tests:
- Be paid on a salary basis (not hourly).
- Be paid at least the minimum salary threshold set by the Department of Labor ($684/week or $35,568/year as of 2024).
- Perform specific "exempt" job duties, which typically fall under executive, administrative, professional, computer, or outside sales categories.
Simply being paid a salary does not automatically make an employee exempt. The job duties test is crucial. If an employer misclassifies a non-exempt employee as exempt, they may be liable for back overtime pay.
State-Specific Overtime Laws
While the FLSA sets the federal minimum standard, some states have their own, more employee-friendly overtime laws. For example, states like California, Alaska, and Nevada have rules that require overtime pay for hours worked over 8 in a single day, not just over 40 in a week. Some states also mandate "double time" (2x the regular rate) for hours worked beyond a certain daily or weekly limit (e.g., over 12 hours in a day in California). It's important to be aware of your specific state and local laws, as you are entitled to the more generous of the two (federal or state).
What Counts as "Hours Worked"?
The FLSA is very broad in its definition of what counts as compensable time. It's not just the time you are actively performing your primary task. "Hours worked" generally includes all time an employee is required to be on duty, on the employer's premises, or at a prescribed workplace. This can include:
- Short rest periods (usually 20 minutes or less).
- Time spent in required training or meetings.
- Travel time between different job sites during the workday.
- Time spent cleaning equipment or setting up a worksite before or after a shift.
Employers are required to track and pay for all of these hours. Commuting time from home to work is generally not considered work time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my employer require me to work overtime?
Yes. In most cases, an employer can require employees to work overtime and can discipline or terminate an employee who refuses to do so. However, they must pay the eligible employee the proper overtime rate for all overtime hours worked.
Can my employer give me "comp time" instead of overtime pay?
For private-sector employers, the answer is generally no. The FLSA requires that overtime be paid in cash. "Comp time" (compensatory time off in a future week instead of overtime pay) is only permissible for public-sector employees (e.g., state and local government workers) under specific rules and agreements.
Is my bonus included when calculating my overtime rate?
It depends on the type of bonus. If the bonus is "non-discretionary"—meaning it's based on a formula, production goal, or is promised as part of a contract—it must be included in your regular rate of pay when calculating your overtime rate for the period in which it was earned. Discretionary bonuses, such as a surprise holiday bonus not tied to any metric, do not need to be included.
Does this calculator figure out my take-home pay?
No, this calculator determines your gross pay (your earnings before any deductions). Your take-home pay (net pay) will be lower after federal and state income taxes, FICA taxes, and any other deductions (like health insurance or retirement contributions) are taken out.