How overtime pay is calculated
The federal formula is one line: overtime pay = hourly rate x 1.5 x overtime hours, where overtime hours are the hours past 40 in a single workweek under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Your total is your regular pay for the first 40 hours plus the overtime pay. At $20 an hour and a 45-hour week, that is 40 x $20 = $800 regular, plus 5 x $30 = $150 overtime, for $950 gross. This calculator does that math in either direction - by the week, by the day (California), or by your own rule.
Time and a half for common pay rates
| Regular rate | Time and a half (1.5x) | Double time (2x) | 10 overtime hrs at 1.5x |
|---|---|---|---|
| $12/hr | $18.00 | $24.00 | $180.00 |
| $15/hr | $22.50 | $30.00 | $225.00 |
| $18/hr | $27.00 | $36.00 | $270.00 |
| $20/hr | $30.00 | $40.00 | $300.00 |
| $22/hr | $33.00 | $44.00 | $330.00 |
| $25/hr | $37.50 | $50.00 | $375.00 |
| $28/hr | $42.00 | $56.00 | $420.00 |
| $30/hr | $45.00 | $60.00 | $450.00 |
| $35/hr | $52.50 | $70.00 | $525.00 |
| $40/hr | $60.00 | $80.00 | $600.00 |
"Time and a half" always means your regular rate plus half again. A common mistake is reading it as 2.5x or as "half pay extra on top of double" - it is simply rate x 1.5 for each overtime hour.
California overtime is different - it is daily
California does not wait for the week to pass 40 hours. There, hours past 8 in a single day pay 1.5x and hours past 12 in a day pay 2x, on top of the weekly rule - and on the seventh consecutive workday in a workweek, the first 8 hours pay 1.5x and anything beyond pays 2x. The one protection for your paycheck: the same hour is never counted twice (no "pyramiding") - an hour paid as daily overtime is not counted again toward the weekly 40. Switch the calculator to California mode and enter your hours day by day; it applies the daily buckets first, then weekly overtime on the regular hours left, exactly in that order. Alaska, Colorado and Nevada have their own daily thresholds - use Custom mode with your state's numbers, and check your state labor department for the exact rule.
Who actually gets overtime?
Under the FLSA, overtime belongs to non-exempt employees. Many salaried workers are exempt (executive, administrative and professional roles above the federal salary threshold), but a salary alone does not make you exempt - plenty of salaried non-exempt workers are owed 1.5x past 40 hours, at a regular rate of salary / 52 / 40. If your paycheck never changes no matter how many hours you work, and you are not clearly in an exempt role, it is worth one careful look at your classification.
Checking a paycheck in 30 seconds
Enter the week exactly as your timesheet shows it - day by day, not as a single total - because daily-rule states and 7th-day rules hide inside the pattern of days. Compare the gross here with the gross on your stub before deductions. Small differences are usually rounding or a workweek that starts on a different day than you assumed (your employer picks the workweek; it does not have to start on Monday). A missing overtime bucket - hours paid at the straight rate past 40 - is the error this calculator exists to catch.
Working out your yearly number instead? The Salary Calculator converts between hourly and annual pay, and the FSA Calculator helps if your overtime pushes you into year-end benefit decisions.
Frequently asked questions
How much is time and a half for $20 an hour?
$30 an hour. Time and a half is your regular rate multiplied by 1.5, so $20 x 1.5 = $30. Ten overtime hours at that rate pay $300, on top of $800 for a regular 40-hour week - $1,100 gross for a 50-hour week.
Is overtime taxed more than regular pay?
No. Overtime is taxed at exactly the same income tax rates as regular pay. A bigger check can be withheld as if you earned that pace all year, which makes it look taxed harder - the difference comes back when you file. Your annual tax depends on your total income, not on which hours were overtime.
Does federal law require double time?
No. The FLSA requires 1.5x past 40 hours a week and never requires 2x. Double time comes from state law (California's daily rules are the famous example), a union contract, or an employer's own holiday policy.
I am salaried - do I get overtime?
It depends on whether you are exempt. Salaried non-exempt employees are owed overtime at a regular rate of salary / 52 / 40 for each hour past 40 in a week. Use the Salary option in the calculator to see your number.
What is the 7th day rule in California?
If you work seven consecutive days in one workweek, the first 8 hours of the seventh day are paid at 1.5x and any hours after that at 2x. In the calculator, enter your hours day by day with that seventh day in the last box, and California mode applies the rule automatically.
Why does my paycheck use a different week start?
Employers choose the workweek - any fixed 7-day block of 168 hours - and overtime is counted inside that block, not the calendar week. If your total looks off, check which day your employer's workweek starts on; this calculator starts on Monday, but the math is the same for any start day.