Know exactly what you're owed.
Federal FLSA, California daily overtime, Colorado's twelve-hour rule, the seventh-day premium. All the math your paystub should already be doing.
Live
$
hrs
Federal FLSA — overtime begins after 40 hours per workweek.
$880.00
40.0 hrs
$264.00
8.0 hrs · 1.5×
$1,144.00
before taxes
Four states owe you more.
The federal FLSA only kicks in after 40 hours per week. These states layer in daily overtime on top.
All 50 states →
California
8 hrs / dayDaily overtime after 8 hrs (1.5×). Double time after 12 hrs. Seventh-day rule applies.
OT rate
1.5× → 2×
→
Alaska
8 hrs / dayDaily overtime after 8 hrs in a single workday, on top of the 40-hour weekly threshold.
OT rate
1.5×
→
Colorado
12 hrs / dayDaily overtime after 12 hours in a workday. Weekly threshold remains 40 hours.
OT rate
1.5×
→
Nevada
8 hrs / day*Daily overtime after 8 hrs — but only if you earn less than 1.5× the state minimum wage.
OT rate
1.5×
→
What overtime actually means.
Under federal law, every non-exempt employee is owed at least one and a half times their regular rate for any hour worked beyond forty in a single workweek. That's the floor. Some states raise it.
“Salaried” is not the same as “exempt.” You can be both salaried and entitled to overtime.
Overtime is calculated on a per-workweek basis. Your employer cannot “average” a slow week against a busy one to avoid paying it. Even if you worked 30 hours last week, the 50 you worked this week still owe you ten hours of premium pay.
Holiday pay sits in a different category. Federal law does not require it at all. Whether you receive 1×, 1.5×, or 2× for working on Thanksgiving depends entirely on your employer's policy or your union contract.
More guides
Browse the library →
Three more calculators.
Compliance, without the payroll software pitch.
California-specific daily overtime, Colorado's twelve-hour rule, the seventh-day premium. Built into the calculator and documented in plain language. Run it before payroll closes.
Classify employees correctly
Exempt vs non-exempt — duties test, not just salary.
Track real hours
Meal breaks, training time, travel between job sites.
Apply state daily rules
CA, AK, CO, NV require daily thresholds before weekly.
Include all compensation
Commissions, bonuses, shift differentials in the regular rate.
Document the seventh day
CA: first 8 hrs at 1.5×, then 2×.
When does overtime start?
Federally, after 40 hours in a workweek, paid at 1.5× your regular rate. California, Alaska, Colorado, and Nevada also require daily overtime past a threshold (usually 8 hours).
Is holiday pay required by law?
No. Federal law does not require private employers to pay extra for working on a holiday. Holiday premium pay is set by employer policy or union contract.
Can a salaried employee earn overtime?
Yes — being salaried alone does not exempt you. To be exempt, you must meet both the salary test ($684 / week minimum) and the duties test for an exemption category.
My employer is not paying overtime. What now?
Keep records of your hours. File a complaint with the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division or your state labor department. You may be owed back pay plus liquidated damages.