- What's the difference between federal and California overtime?
- Federal FLSA §7 requires 1.5× pay for hours worked past 40 in a single workweek — no daily threshold, no double-time requirement. California Labor Code §510 adds daily overtime: 1.5× past 8 hours in a day, 2× past 12 hours, and a 7th-consecutive-workday rule (1.5× for the first 8 hours that day, 2× past 8). California also keeps the 1.5× weekly past 40 — but the same hour can't be paid at both daily and weekly OT (no double-count). A worker in California gets the GREATER of the federal floor or the state rule for every hour worked.
- When does overtime pay 2× (double-time)?
- Under federal FLSA, never — FLSA only requires 1.5×. Double-time is only legally required in California: 2× for hours past 12 in a single workday, AND 2× for hours past 8 on the 7th consecutive workday. Outside California, double-time is an employer-policy decision, often paid for company holidays or contract-negotiated premium days. This calculator treats employer holiday pay as 2× regardless of jurisdiction (toggle it on with the holiday-hours field).
- Do I count overtime hours toward the 40-hour weekly threshold?
- Yes — in federal calculations, total hours worked in the workweek determine OT. If you work 50 hours, the first 40 are regular and the next 10 are 1.5×. In California, hours that already qualify for daily OT (anything past 8 in a day) are not re-counted at weekly OT — the rule is to take the higher premium for each hour, not stack them. The California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE) confirms this no-double-count rule.
- What states besides California have daily overtime?
- Alaska, Nevada, and Colorado all have daily-OT rules, though the thresholds differ. Alaska: 1.5× past 8/day or 40/week, whichever is greater. Nevada: 1.5× past 8/day, but only for workers earning less than 1.5× the state minimum wage. Colorado COMPS Order #38: 1.5× past 12/day or 40/week. The 'Other state' option in this calculator uses the federal floor only; for AK/NV/CO you can use the California rules as a close approximation, but for a precise answer check your state's labor code. Most states (~40 of them) follow the federal FLSA standard with no daily-OT requirement.
- Is salaried overtime different from hourly overtime?
- It depends on whether the salaried worker is 'exempt' or 'non-exempt' under FLSA. Exempt employees (executive, administrative, professional, outside sales, computer-employee categories — generally salaried positions over the FLSA threshold of $58,656/year as of 2025) do not earn overtime. Non-exempt salaried employees DO earn overtime — calculated by dividing weekly salary by total hours worked to derive an effective hourly rate, then applying the same 1.5× / 2× rules. Most hourly workers, plus salaried-non-exempt workers, are entitled to overtime. If your employer classifies you as exempt and you're working long hours, check whether your job duties actually match the exempt categories — misclassification is one of the most common wage-and-hour violations.
- Why doesn't this calculator do taxes or net pay?
- Because gross is the answer most people came to find. Net pay depends on your federal withholding (W-4 elections), state income tax, FICA (Social Security 6.2% + Medicare 1.45%), state disability, optional 401(k) deferrals, health insurance premiums, and dozens of other line items — none of which belong in an overtime calculator. The math you can't easily do in your head is the OT premium math (especially with California's stacking rules); withholding tables you can look up. For estimated take-home pay, use a paycheck calculator that takes your W-4 and state into account.
- What if my employer didn't pay overtime correctly?
- Compare what this calculator says to what your pay stub shows. If you were underpaid, you have legal recourse — the FLSA allows recovery of back wages plus an equal amount in liquidated damages, and California allows recovery of back wages plus interest plus penalties. File a wage claim with the federal Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (worker.gov) or your state's labor commissioner's office. The statute of limitations is generally 2 years federally (3 for willful violations), 3 years under California law. This calculator is an educational tool, not legal advice — if you're considering a claim, consult a wage-and-hour attorney for the specifics of your case.
