How the sums work
Overtime is paid on the regular rate, which is not always the hourly wage written in a contract. This estimate works out the regular rate first, sorts the hours into regular hours, 1.5× hours and 2× hours, and then prices each group.
- Regular rate, hourly: hourly wage + (non-discretionary bonus ÷ hours worked).
- Regular rate, salaried and covered by overtime rules: (weekly salary + bonus) ÷ hours actually worked. An annual salary is divided by 52 to give the weekly figure. This is the hours-actually-worked method, which has the same shape as the regular rate for a fluctuating workweek (a fixed weekly salary for hours that change). If the salary is understood to cover only 40 hours, many employers use weekly salary ÷ 40 instead. That usually pays more overtime, and it is not the method used here.
- Federal Fair Labor Standards Act: the first 40 hours × the regular rate, and hours after 40 × 1.5 × the regular rate. There is no daily overtime. Double time applies only if you set the optional weekly 2× threshold.
- California daily overtime: for each day, hours 0 to 8 are regular, hours 8 to 12 are at 1.5×, and hours over 12 are at 2×. If Day 7 is the 7th workday in a row, the first 8 hours are at 1.5×, hours after 8 are at 2×, and there are no regular hours that day.
- Greater-of rule (California mode): the calculator also works out plain federal weekly overtime on hours over 40. The total shown is the greater of the California daily result and the federal weekly result. This is a cautious estimate. It is not a full wage-order calculation that credits daily premiums against weekly overtime hour by hour.
- Extra paid for overtime: total pay minus (all hours × the regular rate). What is left is the extra half-time and the extra full-time from the 1.5× and 2× hours.
Regular rate = $25. Regular pay = 40 × $25 = $1,000. Overtime = 5 × $37.50 = $187.50. Total = $1,187.50. Extra paid for overtime = $62.50.
Each day has 8 regular hours and 2 overtime hours, so the week has 40 regular and 10 overtime hours. Pay = 40 × $25 + 10 × $37.50 = $1,375.
Federal weekly overtime alone would also give 40 × $25 + 10 × $37.50 = $1,375. A week of six 7-hour days (42 hours) has no daily overtime, so the federal weekly check wins: 2 hours at 1.5×.
Answers about this calculator
Who made this?
UtilForge makes it. UtilForge is a website of free cybersecurity tools and small calculators. The About page explains why the tools were made, and the Contact page is the way to reach us.
Is this a scam site?
It is fair to ask, and you do not have to take UtilForge's word for it. Here is what you can check. This calculator does not ask for payment, an account or card details. UtilForge also sells some optional packs, which are listed on the Pricing page, and this calculator does not need one. The page is set so that your browser stops it sending anything off your device. To test that, open the page, switch your internet off and use the calculator. It keeps working, because it has nothing to connect to.
What happens when I close the page?
The page does not keep anything. It does not use cookies or browser storage, and it does not put your figures in the page address. When you close the page, the pay rate, salary, bonus and hours you typed are gone. The page has no save or download button, so it leaves no file on your device.
Does it cost anything, and do I need to sign in?
It is free, and you can start straight away. Nothing on this page asks you to sign up, log in, give an email address or enter payment details.
When does overtime start in the United States, and is double time required?
Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, most employees who are covered by the overtime rules (the law calls them nonexempt) earn overtime after 40 hours worked in one workweek, at not less than 1.5 times their regular rate of pay. Federal law does not require daily overtime, and it does not require double time. Each workweek stands alone, and you generally cannot average hours across two weeks. This calculator shows 2× pay only in California mode (hours over 12 in a day, or hours over 8 on the 7th workday in a row) or if you enter an optional weekly double-time threshold.
How does California overtime differ from federal overtime, and do other states work the same way?
California generally requires 1.5 times pay for hours over 8 in a workday (up to 12) and 2 times pay for hours over 12. On the 7th consecutive day in a workweek, the first 8 hours are typically paid at 1.5 times and hours over 8 at 2 times. Weekly overtime over 40 hours can still apply, so this calculator works out both and uses the greater total. Most states follow the federal 40-hour week only, and a few places, including Alaska and Nevada, have daily overtime or other extras. This calculator covers federal rules and California only, so do not use the California switch as a stand-in for another state.
Is this a payroll system or legal advice?
No. It is an estimate for learning. For real paychecks, check your employee handbook, your state's rules and a qualified adviser.
What is the difference between Fair Labor Standards Act weekly overtime and California daily overtime?
The federal Fair Labor Standards Act commonly uses a 40-hour weekly threshold at 1.5× for many nonexempt roles. California adds daily thresholds and other rules. Switch on California daily overtime only if California's rules apply.
Can salaried people get overtime?
Some salaried roles are still nonexempt and may qualify. Which group a role belongs to depends on the facts. This calculator does not decide whether a role is exempt or nonexempt.
Should I use this for client invoices?
Use it to show how the sums work, not as a signed wage statement. Label any screenshot as an estimate.