Financial glossary
Overtime Pay (FLSA)
In plain English
At least 1.5× the regular hourly rate owed to non-exempt US employees for hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek.
Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), non-exempt employees must be paid at least 1.5× their regular hourly rate for every hour worked beyond 40 in a single workweek. A handful of states go further — California requires daily overtime past 8 hours and double time past 12.
The “regular rate” used for the 1.5× multiplier is often larger than the base wage: it generally must include non-discretionary bonuses and shift differentials, averaged over the week. Employers who calculate overtime off base pay alone are underpaying — one of the most common wage-and-hour violations reported to the Department of Labor.
Whether overtime applies at all depends on exempt employee status, not job title. Price your own hours with the overtime pay calculator.
Related calculators
- Overtime Pay CalculatorCalculate your weekly and annual pay with overtime at 1.5×, 2×, or any multiplier — and see exactly what those extra hours add per year.
- Hourly to Salary & Salary to Hourly CalculatorConvert hourly pay to annual salary or salary back to an hourly rate, with adjustable hours per week and weeks per year. Instant, accurate, free.