This page's default: regular rate $20/hr and 50 hours in the week → 10 OT hours × $30 = $300 overtime. The 40 straight-time hours are $800. Weekly total $1,100.
The federal rule (Fair Labor Standards Act, 29 U.S.C. § 207(a)(1)): hours over 40 in the same workweek are paid at least at time and a half (1.5×) your regular rate.
The Fair Labor Standards Act sets a 40-hour workweek. Hours you work for the same employer over 40 in that week are paid at at least time and a half your regular rate.
This page covers only the federal weekly 40-hour rule. It does not classify exempt employees, rebuild the regular rate with bonuses, or apply California daily overtime.
Quick examples (use the calculator above)
| Scenario | Input | Approximate result |
|---|---|---|
| Page default | $20/hr · 50 hrs in the week | 10 OT hrs → $1,100 weekly ($300 overtime) |
| Exact 40-hour week | $30/hr · 40 hrs | $1,200, no overtime (40 × 30) |
| Long-shift week | $25/hr · 60 hrs | 20 OT hrs × $37.50 = $1,750 weekly |
| Extended part time | $15/hr · 45 hrs | 5 OT hrs × $22.50 = $712.50 weekly |
| Federal minimum wage | $7.25/hr · 50 hrs | 10 OT hrs × $10.875 = $398.75 weekly |
How federal overtime is calculated
overtime hours = max(0, hours in the week − 40)
overtime pay = overtime hours × (1.5 × regular hourly rate)
weekly total = (hours × rate) + (0.5 × rate × overtime hours)
The threshold is weekly, not daily: a 10-hour day creates no federal overtime if the week totals 40 or less. And each employer counts separately: two 30-hour jobs do not add up to 60 for either one.
Worked example: $20/hr and 50 hours (week of 2026-01-05 to 2026-01-11)
- Overtime hours: 50 − 40 = 10 hrs.
- Overtime rate: 1.5 × $20 = $30/hr.
- Overtime pay: 10 × $30 = $300.
- Straight-time pay: 40 × $20 = $800.
- Weekly total: $800 + $300 = $1,100.
Worked example: $25/hr and 60 hours
- Overtime hours: 60 − 40 = 20 hrs.
- Overtime rate: 1.5 × $25 = $37.50/hr.
- Overtime pay: 20 × $37.50 = $750.
- Straight-time pay: 40 × $25 = $1,000.
- Weekly total: $1,000 + $750 = $1,750.
Table: what each hour over 40 pays you
| Your regular rate | Overtime rate (1.5×) | 5 OT hrs/week | 10 OT hrs/week | 20 OT hrs/week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $7.25/hr (federal minimum) | $10.875/hr | $54.38 | $108.75 | $217.50 |
| $15/hr | $22.50/hr | $112.50 | $225.00 | $450.00 |
| $20/hr | $30.00/hr | $150.00 | $300.00 | $600.00 |
| $25/hr | $37.50/hr | $187.50 | $375.00 | $750.00 |
| $30/hr | $45.00/hr | $225.00 | $450.00 | $900.00 |
| $40/hr | $60.00/hr | $300.00 | $600.00 | $1,200.00 |
Who is in and who is out: common exemptions
The FLSA exempts from overtime certain employees who pass a salary-basis plus duties test (29 U.S.C. § 213(a)(1)). Salary alone is not enough: your actual duties matter too.
| Exempt category (if salary + duties pass) | Core of the duties test | Does this calculator apply? |
|---|---|---|
| Executive | Manages a department and supervises 2+ full-time employees | No: an exempt worker earns no federal overtime |
| Administrative | Non-manual office work tied to management, with own discretion | No, if both tests pass |
| Professional | Advanced knowledge in science or learning (degree or equivalent) | No, if both tests pass |
| Computer | Qualifying systems analysis, programming, or software engineering | No, if both tests pass (salaried or hourly) |
| Outside sales | Regularly sells away from the employer's premises | No |
| Non-exempt (most hourly workers) | Operational, manual, or service work without managerial discretion | Yes: 1.5× after 40 hrs |
Being called a "manager" or "supervisor" does not make you exempt. The Wage and Hour Division looks at your actual pay and duties. The federal salary threshold is back at $684/week ($35,568/year) after the courts vacated the 2024 rule: confirm the current amount with the DOL eLaws overtime advisor or an attorney.
Federal vs state: the FLSA is the floor, not the ceiling
| Rule | Threshold | Minimum rate | What this calculator covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal FLSA (this page) | Over 40 hrs in the workweek | 1.5× regular rate | Yes, the whole calculation |
| California (daily) | Over 8 hrs in a day (1.5×) and over 12 hrs (2×) | 1.5× / 2× | No: use the California overtime calculator |
| Other daily-overtime states | Varies (e.g. Alaska, Nevada, Colorado) | 1.5× or more | No: the state rule stacks on top of the federal floor |
| Contract or union agreement | Whatever it sets (may beat the law) | Equal to or better than the law | No: check your contract |
Mistakes that shrink your paycheck
- Averaging two weeks: an employer cannot blend 50 + 30 into two 40-hour weeks. Each week stands alone.
- Paying overtime at straight time: the 10 hours over 40 carry at least the extra 0.5× premium, not just the base hour.
- Leaving out non-discretionary bonuses: production or attendance bonuses are usually folded into the regular rate before the 1.5× (29 C.F.R. § 778.108 and following). This calculator does not rebuild that rate: enter it already computed.
- Confusing workweek with calendar week: the employer sets the workweek (any 7 consecutive 168-hour days); it does not have to start on Monday.
- Using this for another country: Mexico and Guatemala have their own labor codes with their own premiums and shifts.
Related calculators
- California overtime
- 40-hour week still overtime in California: $880 vs $800
- Salary vs overtime: $25 × 50 hours is $1,375, not $1,000
- Florida overtime: $18 × 48 hours pays $936
- Texas overtime: $22 × 45 hours pays $1,045
- Nevada overtime: $16 × 44 hours pays $736
- Arizona overtime: $21 × 43 hours pays $934.50
- Ohio overtime: $19 × 46 hours pays $931
- Georgia overtime: $20 × 52 hours pays $1,160
- FICA United States
- Federal minimum wage
- Self-employment tax
- Additional Medicare
Frequently asked questions
After 40 hours in the same workweek, absent an exemption. At $20/hr and 50 hrs, the 10 hours over 40 yield $300 overtime and $1,100 for the week.
No. The FLSA only looks at the 40-hour weekly total. A 10-hour day with a 40-hour week creates no federal overtime (your state may still require it).
No. Each employer counts only the hours you worked for it. Two 30-hour jobs do not create 20 overtime hours anywhere.
It can. Non-discretionary bonuses (production, attendance, retention) are spread over the period's hours to recompute the regular rate before the 1.5×. Truly discretionary gifts are not.
It depends on whether you are exempt, not on how you are paid. Many non-exempt salaried workers do earn overtime at 1.5× their equivalent hourly regular rate.
No. Mexico and Guatemala have their own labor codes. This tool is U.S. FLSA only, 40-hour week.
Official sources
- 29 U.S.C. § 207 (GovInfo, 2023 edition)
- 29 C.F.R. § 778.101 and § 778.107
- DOL eLaws FLSA overtime advisor
- Wage and Hour Division: overtime pay
Educational estimate under 29 U.S.C. § 207(a)(1) and 29 C.F.R. §§ 778.101 and 778.107. Check your contract, the Wage and Hour Division, or an attorney for your case.