Quick answer: overtime pay = hours over 40 x hourly rate x 1.5. At 20 an hour, 48 hours is 40 x 20 = 800 plus 8 x 30 = 240, so 1,040 for the week.
Overtime pay at 20 an hour
| Hours in the week | Regular pay (40 h) | Overtime pay | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | 800.00 | 1 x 30.00 = 30.00 | 830.00 |
| 45 | 800.00 | 5 x 30.00 = 150.00 | 950.00 |
| 48 | 800.00 | 8 x 30.00 = 240.00 | 1,040.00 |
| 50 | 800.00 | 10 x 30.00 = 300.00 | 1,100.00 |
| 55 | 800.00 | 15 x 30.00 = 450.00 | 1,250.00 |
| 60 | 800.00 | 20 x 30.00 = 600.00 | 1,400.00 |
How federal overtime works
Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, a non-exempt employee earns at least 1.5 times the regular rate for every hour over 40 in a workweek. The workweek is a fixed, recurring 168-hour period; two weeks are never averaged; and federal law has no daily overtime and no required weekend premium. Some states add daily overtime (California counts hours over 8 in a day at 1.5x and over 12 at 2x).
Double time and holiday pay
Double time (2x) is not required by federal law; it comes from state law, such as California's rule for hours over 12 in a day, or from a contract. Holiday pay is also a policy choice: working Thanksgiving earns a premium only if your employer offers one, or if it takes you over 40 hours that week. Enter any such hours in their own fields so they are not counted twice. See the double time calculator.
The overtime premium and the federal deduction
The calculator shows the premium portion of your overtime: the extra half on top of straight time. That half is what the IRS calls qualified overtime compensation for the federal income tax deduction created in 2025: up to 12,500 a year (25,000 on a joint return), reduced above a modified adjusted gross income of 150,000 (300,000 joint). Only overtime required by the FLSA counts. This site does not calculate tax; see the IRS questions and answers for how to claim it.
What counts in the regular rate
The rate overtime is based on includes more than the base wage: shift differentials, most production bonuses and commissions are added in. If you work at two rates in one week, the regular rate is the weighted average; use the blended overtime calculator.
Paid by the day at different rates, or with a night premium? The shift differential calculator builds the higher rate first. Just need your 1.5x rate? Use time and a half.
Sources: DOL: Overtime pay; 29 CFR 778.115; 29 CFR 778.207; California Labor Code 510; IRS: Qualified overtime compensation deduction. Rules checked . Found a problem? Tell us.
Questions
What is overtime pay for 45 hours at 15 an hour?
40 x 15 = 600, plus 5 x 22.50 = 112.50, so 712.50 gross.
Is overtime paid after 8 hours a day?
Not under federal law, which counts only hours over 40 in the workweek. Some states, including California and Alaska, have daily overtime rules. The time card calculator has a California-style setting.
Are salaried employees paid overtime?
Salary alone does not make someone exempt. Exemption depends on a minimum salary level set by the Department of Labor and on the actual job duties; non-exempt salaried employees are owed overtime too.
Can my employer make overtime mandatory?
Under federal law, yes for adult employees, as long as it is paid. Some states limit mandatory overtime in specific jobs, such as nursing.