Overtime Calculator
Time-and-a-half, double time, and your total weekly paycheck — calculated the way payroll does it.
The overtime formula
Weekly pay = (Regular hrs × rate) + (OT hrs × rate × 1.5) + (DT hrs × rate × 2)
$20/hour, 40 regular hours + 5 overtime hours:
Regular: 40 × 20 = $800 · Overtime: 5 × 30 = $150 → weekly total $950
Worked every week, those 5 OT hours add $7,800/yr — pre-tax.
Overtime rules worth knowing
The federal FLSA floor is 1.5× after 40 hours in a workweek for non-exempt employees — but several states go further: California adds daily overtime (1.5× after 8 hours/day, 2× after 12, plus seventh-consecutive-day rules), and Alaska, Nevada, and Colorado have daily thresholds too. "Salaried" doesn't automatically mean exempt; exemption requires specific duties plus a salary minimum. Two budgeting cautions: OT is taxed at your normal rates (withholding may look higher per check, but it settles out at filing — see the bracket math), and building a lifestyle on overtime income is fragile since it's usually the first thing cut. Compare your blended rate against salaried offers with the salary calculator, and track the hours themselves with the hours calculator.
$25/hour, a single shift of 14 hours, under California's daily thresholds (not the federal weekly-40 rule):
Hours 1–8 (regular): 8 × $25 = $200
Hours 9–12 (1.5×): 4 × $37.50 = $150
Hours 13–14 (2×): 2 × $50 = $100
Total for the day: $450 — triggered entirely by daily hours, even if the rest of that worker's week stayed under 40 hours and would owe zero overtime under federal rules alone.
Overtime rate lookup, by base pay
| Base rate | 1.5× (time and a half) | 2× (double time) |
|---|---|---|
| $15/hr | $22.50/hr | $30.00/hr |
| $18/hr | $27.00/hr | $36.00/hr |
| $20/hr | $30.00/hr | $40.00/hr |
| $25/hr | $37.50/hr | $50.00/hr |
| $30/hr | $45.00/hr | $60.00/hr |
Common overtime mistakes
- Assuming daily overtime is the national default. Federal law only counts hours over 40 in a full workweek — daily thresholds like California's 8-hour/12-hour tiers are a state-level exception, not the general rule, and don't apply automatically outside those states.
- Leaving bonuses and commissions out of the "regular rate." The FLSA requires non-discretionary bonuses to be blended into the regular rate before time-and-a-half is calculated, which raises the true overtime rate above a simple base-rate × 1.5 — omitting this is a frequent and costly payroll error.
- Assuming "salaried" automatically means no overtime. Exemption requires passing both a duties test and meeting a minimum salary threshold — plenty of salaried employees are still legally entitled to overtime pay.
Frequently asked questions
How is overtime pay calculated?
1.5× the regular rate for hours over 40/week (federal). $20/hr → $30/hr OT; 45 hours = $950.
What is time and a half for $18 an hour?
$27/hour.
Who is eligible for overtime?
Most hourly workers; salaried staff only if non-exempt. Some states (CA, AK, NV, CO) add daily overtime.
How does California's daily overtime work?
A 14-hour day at $25/hr breaks into 8 regular hours ($200), 4 hours at 1.5× ($150), and 2 hours at 2× ($100) — $450 total, triggered by daily hours even if the week overall stays under 40.
Do bonuses count toward the overtime rate?
Yes — non-discretionary bonuses and commissions must be blended into the "regular rate" before time-and-a-half is calculated, raising the true OT rate above a plain base-rate × 1.5.
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Note: Reflects federal FLSA basics; state and contract rules may provide more. Not legal advice. Last reviewed: September 2026.