Estimate a U.S. workweek of overtime for hourly and salaried nonexempt employees. Federal FLSA 40-hour / 1.5× is the default. Turn on California daily OT for 8-hour / 12-hour / 7th-day rules. This is an educational estimator, not a payroll system.
How the math works
Overtime is paid on the regular rate, not always the sticker hourly wage. This estimator builds that rate first, buckets hours, then prices each bucket.
Regular rate (salaried nonexempt): (weekly salary + bonus) ÷ hours actually worked. Annual salary is divided by 52 to get weekly. This is the hours-actually-worked approach (similar in structure to a fluctuating-workweek regular rate). If the salary is instead understood to cover only 40 hours, many employers use weekly salary ÷ 40 — that usually pays more overtime and is not the default here.
Federal FLSA: first 40 hours × regular rate, hours over 40 × 1.5 × regular rate. No daily OT. Double time only if you set an optional weekly 2× threshold.
California daily OT: each day: hours 0–8 regular, 8–12 at 1.5×, over 12 at 2×. If Day 7 is the 7th consecutive workday: first 8 hours at 1.5×, hours over 8 at 2× (no regular hours that day).
Greater-of rule (CA mode): we also compute a plain FLSA weekly overtime check on hours over 40. The displayed total is the greater of (California daily buckets) vs (FLSA weekly buckets). That is a simple conservative estimator — not a full wage-order engine that credits daily premiums against weekly OT hour-by-hour.
Premium dollars: total pay minus (all hours × regular rate). That leftover is the extra half-time and extra full-time from 1.5× and 2×.
Example (FLSA hourly). $25/hour, 45 hours, no bonus.
Regular rate = $25. Regular pay = 40 × $25 = $1,000. OT = 5 × $37.50 = $187.50. Total = $1,187.50. Premium = $62.50.
Example (California daily). $25/hour, five 10-hour days (50 hours).
Daily: each day 8 regular + 2 OT → 40 regular + 10 OT. Pay = 40 × $25 + 10 × $37.50 = $1,375.
FLSA weekly only would be 40 × $25 + 10 × $37.50 = $1,375 as well. A week of six 7-hour days (42 hours) has no daily OT, so the FLSA weekly check wins: 2 hours at 1.5×.
Overtime pay FAQ
When does federal FLSA overtime start?
Under the U.S. Fair Labor Standards Act, most nonexempt employees earn overtime after 40 hours in a single workweek, at not less than 1.5× the regular rate. Federal law does not require daily overtime. Each workweek stands alone.
How does California daily overtime work?
California generally requires 1.5× for hours over 8 in a workday (up to 12) and 2× for hours over 12. On the 7th consecutive day, the first 8 hours are typically 1.5× and hours over 8 are 2×. This tool also runs a federal weekly OT check and uses the greater total pay.
Is double time (2×) required by the FLSA?
No. The FLSA requires 1.5× after 40 weekly hours. 2× appears here only in California mode (over 12 in a day, or over 8 on the 7th consecutive day) or if you set an optional custom weekly double-time threshold.
How is overtime calculated for salaried nonexempt employees?
Salary ≠ exempt. This estimator uses regular rate = (weekly salary + bonus) ÷ hours actually worked. Annual pay is divided by 52. Some employers instead use weekly salary ÷ 40 (fixed-hours method), which often costs more in overtime. We show the hours-worked method and the math.
Is this calculator legal advice?
No. Educational estimator only. Rules are summarized as of 2026. Other states differ. Confirm with counsel or payroll before paying wages.
How do non-discretionary bonuses change overtime?
They generally increase the regular rate. We add the weekly bonus you enter, divide by hours worked, and apply 1.5× / 2× to that blended rate. Discretionary bonuses and multi-week allocations are not modeled automatically.
What is California’s 7th consecutive day rule?
If someone works all seven days in a California workweek, Day 7’s first 8 hours are usually 1.5× and hours over 8 are 2×. Enable the toggle when Day 7 is truly consecutive.
Do other states follow California daily OT?
Most follow FLSA only. Do not use the California toggle for another state. Alaska, Nevada, and others have their own extras, which this tool does not model.