An hours calculator helps you determine your total work hours and corresponding pay for a given period, typically a week. In the United States, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) defines overtime as any hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek, requiring employers to pay at least 1.5 times the regular rate (time-and-a-half).
Regular vs. overtime: The calculator tracks your cumulative hours throughout the week. Once you cross the overtime threshold (typically 40 hours), additional hours are multiplied by the overtime rate (1.5x or 2x depending on your employment terms). This means a single hour of overtime at $25/hour earns $37.50 instead of $25.
Common pay periods: Weekly employees are paid for all hours worked in a 7-day period. Bi-weekly employees receive pay every two weeks, and overtime is calculated per week, not per pay period. Salaried employees may be exempt from overtime depending on their job classification and income level.
State variations: Some states have stricter overtime rules. California requires overtime pay for hours worked beyond 8 in a single day, regardless of weekly totals. Alaska requires daily overtime after 8 hours. Always check your local labor laws, as they may provide more protection than federal requirements.
Those 5 overtime hours add $150 to your paycheck — that's the power of time-and-a-half pay.