Overtime Pay Calculator
Calculate your overtime pay under federal rules and your state's specific laws.
How is overtime pay calculated?
Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), non-exempt employees must be paid 1.5x their regular hourly wage for any hours worked beyond 40 in a single workweek. This is the standard rule in most US states.
Which states have daily overtime rules?
California has the most generous daily overtime law: 1.5x pay for hours worked beyond 8 in a single day, and 2x ("double time") for hours beyond 12 in a day, plus 1.5x for the first 8 hours worked on a 7th consecutive workday. Alaska, Colorado, and Nevada also have some daily overtime provisions, though with different thresholds. Every other state follows only the federal weekly-40-hour rule.
This calculator provides a simplified estimate. Overtime law has many nuances (exempt vs non-exempt status, specific industry rules, and exact daily thresholds) — check your state labor department or an employment attorney for your exact situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all states require overtime after 8 hours in a day?
No — only a handful of states (most notably California, along with Alaska, Colorado, and Nevada in some form) have daily overtime rules. Most states only require overtime after 40 hours in a week, following the federal FLSA standard.
What is double time and when does it apply?
Double time means 2x your regular hourly rate. In California, it applies to hours worked beyond 12 in a single day, or beyond 8 hours on the 7th consecutive day of work in a workweek. Most other states don't have a double-time requirement.
Are salaried employees entitled to overtime?
It depends on whether you're classified as "exempt" or "non-exempt" under the FLSA. Non-exempt salaried employees are still entitled to overtime; exempt employees (typically certain executive, administrative, or professional roles above a salary threshold) are not.
Is overtime pay taxed at a higher rate?
No — overtime pay is taxed the same way as regular wages. It may push more of your paycheck into a higher withholding bracket for that pay period, which can make it feel like it's taxed more, but your overall annual tax rate is based on total yearly income.
Can my employer require me to work overtime?
In most cases, yes — the FLSA doesn't limit how many hours an adult employee can be required to work, it only requires that overtime hours be paid at the proper premium rate. Some industries and states have additional protections.
How accurate is this overtime calculator?
This tool provides a simplified estimate based on general federal and state overtime patterns. It does not account for every industry-specific rule or exemption — for a precise answer about your paycheck, check with your employer's HR department or your state labor office.