Overtime Pay in the USA
Under federal law, most non-exempt employees in the United States must be paid at least 1.5 times their regular rate for every hour worked over 40 in a workweek.
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How overtime works: United States
- Overtime is counted per workweek, a fixed period of 168 hours (seven consecutive 24-hour periods). Hours cannot be averaged across two or more weeks.
- Federal law does not require daily overtime, and it does not require extra pay for weekends, holidays or rest days as such. Some states set stricter rules, for example daily overtime in California (see the California overtime calculator).
- The regular rate is not always your base hourly rate. It includes most pay for the work you do, such as non-discretionary bonuses, and excludes items such as expense reimbursements and discretionary bonuses. For salaried or piece-rate workers it is worked out from total pay divided by hours worked.
- Overtime cannot be waived by agreement. Some employees are exempt, and that depends on their job duties and pay, not only on being salaried.
Example: a week with 8 overtime hours (threshold 40 hours, 1.5x)
| Regular rate | Overtime rate | Pay for 8 overtime hours | Total for the week |
|---|---|---|---|
| $15.00 an hour | $22.50 | $180.00 | $780.00 |
| $20.00 an hour | $30.00 | $240.00 | $1,040.00 |
| $25.00 an hour | $37.50 | $300.00 | $1,300.00 |
| $30.00 an hour | $45.00 | $360.00 | $1,560.00 |
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Fact Sheet #23: Overtime Pay Requirements of the FLSA. Rules change and have exceptions, so check the current official guidance or ask a qualified adviser about your case.
Related calculators
See the full overtime pay guide
Frequently asked questions
How much is overtime pay in the US?
Under federal law, covered employees get at least 1.5 times their regular rate for hours worked over 40 in a workweek. At 20 dollars an hour, that is at least 30 dollars for each overtime hour.
Do I get overtime for working weekends or holidays?
Federal law does not require extra pay for weekend or holiday work as such. It only requires overtime for hours over 40 in the workweek. Your employer, contract or state law may give more.
Is there daily overtime in the US?
Not under federal law. Some states, such as California, require overtime after a certain number of hours in a day.
Can my employer average my hours over two weeks?
Under the federal rule the workweek stands alone, so averaging hours across two or more weeks is not permitted.
All figures are estimates before tax, based on the stated hours and weeks. They are for information only and are not financial, tax or legal advice.