Overtime rules in the US
The FLSA requires 1.5× for hours over 40 in a workweek for non-exempt employees — not over 8 per day (that's a state-level rule in some places), not per pay period. Exempt (salaried) employees don't get overtime by default. State rules vary (California: daily overtime after 8h, double-time after 12h) — check your state's labor board.
Reading the breakdown
- Regular pay: rate × regular hours. Overtime pay: rate × multiplier × OT hours.
- Effective hourly rate: total ÷ total hours — the number that reveals whether a "better" hourly job actually pays more after OT.
- Tax estimate: a rough withholdings ballpark (federal + state average) — actual take-home depends on your W-4 and state.
Example
$18/hr, 40 regular + 12 OT at 1.5×: regular $720 + OT $324 = $1,044 gross; at 20% tax ≈ $835 take-home. Same 52 hours at straight time would be $936 — overtime is worth $108 more, which is exactly why employers watch the clock.