California Overtime Pay Calculator
Calculation Results:
Total Regular Hours: 0
Total Overtime Hours (1.5x): 0
Total Doubletime Hours (2x): 0
Gross Pay for the Week: $0.00
How to Calculate Overtime in California: A Comprehensive Guide
California has some of the most employee-friendly and complex overtime laws in the United States. Understanding these rules is crucial for both employers to ensure compliance and for employees to ensure they are paid fairly. Unlike federal law, which primarily focuses on weekly overtime, California mandates both daily and weekly overtime, along with special rules for working seven consecutive days.
Key California Overtime Rules
In California, non-exempt employees are generally entitled to overtime pay under the following conditions:
1. Daily Overtime (1.5x Regular Rate)
- Hours over 8 in a workday: Any hours worked beyond eight (8) hours in a single workday must be compensated at one and one-half (1.5) times the employee's regular rate of pay.
2. Daily Double Time (2x Regular Rate)
- Hours over 12 in a workday: Any hours worked beyond twelve (12) hours in a single workday must be compensated at double (2) times the employee's regular rate of pay.
3. Weekly Overtime (1.5x Regular Rate)
- Hours over 40 in a workweek: Any hours worked beyond forty (40) hours in a single workweek must be compensated at one and one-half (1.5) times the employee's regular rate of pay. This is calculated *after* any daily overtime has been accounted for.
4. Seventh Consecutive Day Overtime
If an employee works seven (7) consecutive days in a workweek, special rules apply to the seventh day:
- First 8 hours on the 7th day: The first eight (8) hours worked on the seventh consecutive day of work in a workweek must be compensated at one and one-half (1.5) times the employee's regular rate of pay.
- Hours over 8 on the 7th day: Any hours worked beyond eight (8) hours on the seventh consecutive day of work in a workweek must be compensated at double (2) times the employee's regular rate of pay.
It's important to note that the "workweek" is a fixed and regularly recurring period of 168 hours (seven consecutive 24-hour periods). It does not have to coincide with the calendar week.
How the Calculator Works
Our California Overtime Pay Calculator simplifies these complex rules to help you estimate weekly earnings. Here's how to use it:
- Regular Hourly Rate: Enter your standard hourly wage.
- Hours Worked – Day 1 to Day 7: Input the total hours you worked for each day of the workweek.
- Is Day 7 the 7th consecutive day of work in this workweek?: Check this box if you worked every day leading up to and including Day 7 within the same workweek. This triggers the special 7th-day overtime rules.
- Calculate Overtime Pay: Click the button to see your estimated total regular hours, overtime hours (1.5x), double-time hours (2x), and gross pay for the week.
Examples of California Overtime Calculation
Let's look at a few scenarios with a regular hourly rate of $25.00:
Example 1: Daily Overtime
- Day 1: 10 hours
- Day 2: 10 hours
- Day 3: 8 hours
- Day 4: 8 hours
- Day 5: 8 hours
- Day 6: 0 hours
- Day 7: 0 hours
- Is Day 7 the 7th consecutive day: No
Calculation:
- Day 1: 8 regular hours, 2 OT hours (10-8)
- Day 2: 8 regular hours, 2 OT hours (10-8)
- Day 3-5: 8 regular hours each
- Total Regular Hours: 8 + 8 + 8 + 8 + 8 = 40 hours
- Total Overtime Hours (1.5x): 2 + 2 = 4 hours
- Total Double Time Hours (2x): 0 hours
- Weekly Overtime Check: 40 regular hours, so no additional weekly OT.
- Gross Pay: (40 hrs * $25) + (4 hrs * $25 * 1.5) = $1000 + $150 = $1150.00
Example 2: Daily and Weekly Overtime
- Day 1: 10 hours
- Day 2: 10 hours
- Day 3: 10 hours
- Day 4: 10 hours
- Day 5: 8 hours
- Day 6: 0 hours
- Day 7: 0 hours
- Is Day 7 the 7th consecutive day: No
Calculation:
- Day 1-4: 8 regular hours, 2 OT hours each (total 32 regular, 8 OT)
- Day 5: 8 regular hours
- Total Regular Hours (before weekly OT adjustment): 32 + 8 = 40 hours
- Total Daily Overtime Hours (1.5x): 8 hours
- Weekly Overtime Check: The 40 "regular" hours are exactly 40, so no additional weekly OT.
- Gross Pay: (40 hrs * $25) + (8 hrs * $25 * 1.5) = $1000 + $300 = $1300.00
Wait, this example is identical to the first one in terms of outcome. Let's adjust for a clearer weekly OT example.
Example 2 (Revised): Daily and Weekly Overtime
- Day 1: 10 hours
- Day 2: 10 hours
- Day 3: 10 hours
- Day 4: 10 hours
- Day 5: 10 hours
- Day 6: 0 hours
- Day 7: 0 hours
- Is Day 7 the 7th consecutive day: No
Calculation:
- Day 1-5: Each day has 8 regular hours and 2 OT hours.
- Total Daily Overtime Hours (1.5x): 5 days * 2 hours/day = 10 hours
- Total Regular Hours (before weekly OT adjustment): 5 days * 8 hours/day = 40 hours
- Weekly Overtime Check: The 40 "regular" hours are exactly 40, so no additional weekly OT.
- Gross Pay: (40 hrs * $25) + (10 hrs * $25 * 1.5) = $1000 + $375 = $1375.00
Still no weekly OT. This is because daily OT is calculated first, reducing the "regular" hours that count towards the 40-hour weekly limit. Let's try a different scenario for weekly OT.
Example 2 (Final Revision): Daily and Weekly Overtime
- Day 1: 8 hours
- Day 2: 8 hours
- Day 3: 8 hours
- Day 4: 8 hours
- Day 5: 8 hours
- Day 6: 4 hours
- Day 7: 0 hours
- Is Day 7 the 7th consecutive day: No
Calculation:
- Day 1-5: 8 regular hours each. (Total 40 regular hours)
- Day 6: 4 regular hours.
- Total Regular Hours (before weekly OT adjustment): 40 + 4 = 44 hours
- Total Daily Overtime Hours (1.5x): 0 hours
- Weekly Overtime Check: 44 "regular" hours. 44 – 40 = 4 hours of weekly overtime.
- Adjusted Hours: 40 regular hours, 4 weekly OT hours.
- Gross Pay: (40 hrs * $25) + (4 hrs * $25 * 1.5) = $1000 + $150 = $1150.00
Example 3: Double Time (Daily)
- Day 1: 14 hours
- Day 2-7: 0 hours
- Is Day 7 the 7th consecutive day: No
Calculation:
- Day 1: 8 regular hours, 4 OT hours (hours 8-12), 2 DT hours (hours 12-14)
- Total Regular Hours: 8 hours
- Total Overtime Hours (1.5x): 4 hours
- Total Double Time Hours (2x): 2 hours
- Weekly Overtime Check: 8 regular hours, no weekly OT.
- Gross Pay: (8 hrs * $25) + (4 hrs * $25 * 1.5) + (2 hrs * $25 * 2) = $200 + $150 + $100 = $450.00
Example 4: Seventh Consecutive Day Overtime
- Day 1-6: 8 hours each
- Day 7: 8 hours
- Is Day 7 the 7th consecutive day: Yes
Calculation:
- Day 1-6: 8 regular hours each. (Total 48 regular hours)
- Day 7 (7th consecutive): All 8 hours are 1.5x overtime.
- Total Daily Overtime Hours (1.5x): 8 hours (from Day 7)
- Total Regular Hours (before weekly OT adjustment): 48 hours (from Day 1-6)
- Weekly Overtime Check: 48 "regular" hours. 48 – 40 = 8 hours of weekly overtime.
- Adjusted Hours: 40 regular hours, 8 weekly OT hours (from Day 1-6), 8 OT hours (from Day 7).
- Gross Pay: (40 hrs * $25) + (8 hrs * $25 * 1.5) + (8 hrs * $25 * 1.5) = $1000 + $300 + $300 = $1600.00
Important Considerations and Exceptions
While this calculator covers the most common scenarios, California overtime law has nuances:
- Exempt Employees: Certain employees (e.g., executive, administrative, professional, computer professionals, outside salespersons) are exempt from overtime laws if they meet specific salary and duties tests.
- Alternative Workweek Schedules (AWS): Employers can implement AWS, allowing employees to work more than 8 hours in a day without daily overtime (e.g., four 10-hour days), provided specific requirements are met, including employee approval. Overtime rules still apply for hours outside the AWS or over 40 in a week.
- Meal and Rest Periods: California law mandates meal and rest periods. Violations can result in additional pay (premium pay) at the employee's regular rate for each missed period. This calculator does not account for premium pay.
- Regular Rate of Pay: The "regular rate of pay" for overtime calculation can be more complex than just the hourly wage. It must include most forms of compensation, such as non-discretionary bonuses, commissions, and shift differentials.
- Travel Time: In some cases, travel time may count as hours worked and contribute to overtime.
This calculator provides an estimate based on standard California overtime rules. For specific legal advice or complex situations, it is always recommended to consult with an HR professional, payroll specialist, or an attorney specializing in California labor law.