The actual questions workers ask.

Federally, after 40 hours in a workweek. Non-exempt employees earn at least 1.5× their regular rate for those extra hours. California, Alaska, Colorado, and Nevada also require daily overtime past a threshold (usually 8 hours).

Time and a half means 1.5× your regular hourly rate. If you earn $20 / hour normally, time and a half is $30 / hour. This is the minimum overtime rate required by federal law.

Double time is 2× your regular rate. Federal law does not require it. California does — for hours over 12 in a single day, and for hours over 8 on the seventh consecutive workday.

A fixed, recurring 168-hour period (seven 24-hour days). Your employer can define any 7-day window — it does not have to be Sunday through Saturday. Overtime is calculated per workweek and cannot be averaged across multiple weeks.

Exempt employees are not entitled to overtime. To be exempt, an employee must be paid on a salary basis of at least $684 / week ($35,568 / year) AND perform specific executive, administrative, professional, or outside sales duties.

Being salaried alone does not make you exempt. You must meet both the salary test and the duties test for your exemption category. Many salaried employees are still entitled to overtime.

No. Paying a salary does not exempt an employee from overtime. The employee must meet both the salary threshold AND the duties test for an exemption.

No. Federal law does not require private employers to pay extra for holidays, weekends, or nights. Holiday premium pay is set by employer policy or union contract.

Not automatically. Overtime is required for hours over 40 in a workweek, regardless of which days you worked. A Saturday or Sunday only triggers overtime if it pushes you past 40.

Federal holidays close federal government offices. Private employers are not required to give time off or extra pay. Many do as a benefit, but it is not mandated.

Yes. 1.5× after 8 hours in a day; 2× after 12 hours. California also has a seventh-day rule: if you work seven days in a row, the seventh earns 1.5× for the first 8 hours and 2× after that.

California (after 8 hrs), Alaska (after 8 hrs), Colorado (after 12 hrs), and Nevada (after 8 hrs, only if you earn less than 1.5× the state minimum wage).

Whichever provides greater protection. If your state rules are stricter (like California), you get those. If your state has weaker or no overtime law, federal FLSA applies.

Federal: (hours over 40) × (hourly rate × 1.5). For California, also calculate daily overtime: hours 8 through 12 at 1.5×, hours over 12 at 2×. Use the weekly timesheet calculator for complex scenarios.

All time you are required to be on duty, on the employer's premises, or at a prescribed workplace. This usually includes short breaks, required training, and certain travel time. Generally excludes meal periods (when truly off duty) and commuting.

Private employers generally cannot. Compensatory time off in lieu of overtime is only allowed for government employees under specific conditions. Private-sector workers must receive overtime pay.

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 entitled to back pay, liquidated damages, and attorney fees.

Federally, 2 years for ordinary violations or 3 years if the violation was willful. State law may differ. Do not wait — the older the violation, the harder it is to collect.

Retaliation is illegal. Employers cannot fire, demote, or punish employees for asserting their right to overtime pay, filing complaints, testifying, or asking questions. Retaliation can lead to additional legal claims.