How Does Time and a Half Work?
Time and a half works by paying you 1.5 times your regular hourly rate for every hour you work beyond 40 hours in a workweek. If you earn $20 an hour, your time and a half rate is $30 an hour. Every overtime hour you work adds that $30 to your paycheck instead of the usual $20.
That is the short answer. But how your employer calculates it, when it kicks in, and who actually qualifies gets more complicated. This guide breaks all of it down in plain terms.
Want to skip straight to the number? Use the time and a half calculator to get your exact overtime pay in seconds.
Time and a Half Pay: The Basic Formula
The calculation has two steps. First, find your time and a half rate. Then multiply that rate by your overtime hours.
Step 1: Calculate your overtime rate
Regular hourly rate x 1.5 = Time and a half rate
Step 2: Calculate your overtime pay
Time and a half rate x Overtime hours = Overtime pay
Here is a worked example using a $22 hourly rate:
- Regular rate: $22.00 per hour
- Time and a half rate: $22.00 x 1.5 = $33.00 per hour
- Overtime hours worked: 6 hours
- Overtime pay: $33.00 x 6 = $198.00
For a full walkthrough of the math, see our guide on how to calculate time and a half.
Time and a Half Rates by Hourly Wage
Here are the time and a half rates for common hourly wages so you can quickly find your number:
| Regular Hourly Rate | Time and a Half Rate | Pay for 5 OT Hours | Pay for 10 OT Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| $12.00 | $18.00 | $90.00 | $180.00 |
| $14.00 | $21.00 | $105.00 | $210.00 |
| $15.00 | $22.50 | $112.50 | $225.00 |
| $16.00 | $24.00 | $120.00 | $240.00 |
| $18.00 | $27.00 | $135.00 | $270.00 |
| $20.00 | $30.00 | $150.00 | $300.00 |
| $22.00 | $33.00 | $165.00 | $330.00 |
| $25.00 | $37.50 | $187.50 | $375.00 |
| $30.00 | $45.00 | $225.00 | $450.00 |
When Does Time and a Half Start?
Under federal law, time and a half starts after you work more than 40 hours in a single workweek. The clock resets every week. It does not matter how many hours you worked the week before.
A few important points about how the 40-hour threshold works:
- It is based on hours worked, not hours scheduled. If you are scheduled for 38 hours but your manager asks you to stay late and you end up working 42, those last 2 hours are overtime.
- It resets every workweek. A workweek is any fixed 7-day period your employer designates. It does not have to be Monday through Sunday.
- Daily overtime does not apply federally. Working 10 hours in one day does not trigger overtime on its own under federal law. Daily overtime rules exist in some states, most notably California.
If you are in California, the rules are different. California requires overtime after 8 hours in a single day. Read our full guide on California overtime laws to understand how daily overtime works there.
Is Time and a Half the Same as Overtime?
Not exactly, though the two terms are closely related. Overtime refers to any hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek. Time and a half is the rate of pay you receive for those overtime hours.
So overtime is the situation. Time and a half is the pay rate that applies to it.
Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the federal law that governs overtime in the United States, time and a half is the minimum rate employers must pay for overtime hours. Some employers choose to pay more, such as double time, but 1.5x is the legal floor.
Who Qualifies for Time and a Half Pay?
Not every worker is automatically entitled to time and a half. The FLSA divides workers into two categories: non-exempt and exempt.
Non-exempt employees are covered by FLSA overtime rules. They must be paid time and a half for every hour over 40 in a workweek. Most hourly workers fall into this category.
Exempt employees are not entitled to overtime pay under federal law. To be exempt, an employee generally must meet all three of these criteria:
- They are paid on a salary basis
- Their salary is at least $684 per week ($35,568 per year)
- Their job duties fall under an exempt category (executive, administrative, professional, outside sales, or certain computer employees)
Meeting all three criteria is required. A high salary alone does not make someone exempt if their job duties do not qualify. A job title alone does not make someone exempt either. The actual day-to-day work is what determines it.
If you are unsure whether you are classified correctly, the Department of Labor’s FLSA guidance is the authoritative source. Misclassification is one of the most common wage violations employers commit.
Do Part-Time Workers Get Time and a Half?
Yes, if they work more than 40 hours in a workweek. The FLSA overtime threshold is 40 hours per workweek for all non-exempt employees, whether they are classified as part-time or full-time.
If a part-time worker who normally works 20 hours is asked to work 45 hours one week, the 5 hours over 40 must be paid at time and a half. Their regular 40 hours are paid at the standard rate.
How Does Time and a Half Work for Salaried Employees?
It depends on whether the salaried employee is exempt or non-exempt.
Exempt salaried employees do not receive overtime pay regardless of how many hours they work. That is the trade-off of exempt status.
Non-exempt salaried employees are entitled to overtime pay. To calculate their time and a half rate, employers convert their salary to an hourly equivalent first.
Here is how that works for a non-exempt salaried employee earning $700 per week:
- Regular hourly rate: $700 / 40 hours = $17.50 per hour
- Time and a half rate: $17.50 x 1.5 = $26.25 per hour
- If they work 45 hours: 5 overtime hours x $26.25 = $131.25 in overtime pay
Does Time and a Half Apply on Weekends and Holidays?
Under federal law, working on a weekend or a holiday does not automatically trigger time and a half. The FLSA only requires overtime pay based on total hours worked in the workweek, not on which day those hours fall.
That said, many employers voluntarily pay time and a half for weekend or holiday shifts as part of their company policy or a union agreement. If your employer’s handbook or employment contract promises holiday pay at time and a half, they are legally required to honor it.
For a full breakdown of how overtime pay works on federal holidays and which employers pay it, see our guide on time and a half on holidays.
How Does Time and a Half Work With Bonuses?
Non-discretionary bonuses must be included in the overtime rate calculation. This is one of the most commonly overlooked rules in the FLSA.
A non-discretionary bonus is any bonus that employees expect to receive based on a prior promise or established policy. Examples include attendance bonuses, production bonuses, and bonuses tied to meeting sales targets.
Furthermore, when a non-exempt employee receives a non-discretionary bonus, the employer must recalculate the “regular rate of pay” for the workweek and pay the correct additional overtime on top of any overtime already paid.
Discretionary bonuses, such as a surprise year-end gift, do not need to be included in the overtime rate calculation.
Time and a Half vs. Double Time
Time and a half (1.5x) is the federal minimum for overtime hours. Double time (2x) is not required by federal law but is required in some states and common in certain industries.
| Pay Type | Multiplier | When It Applies | Required By |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Pay | 1x | First 40 hours per workweek | FLSA (federal law) |
| Time and a Half | 1.5x | Hours over 40 per workweek | FLSA (federal law) |
| Double Time | 2x | Hours over 12 in one day (California); 7th consecutive day of work | California law; some union contracts |
For a side-by-side comparison of both pay types with examples, see our guide on double time pay.
Common Mistakes Employers Make With Overtime Pay
Knowing how time and a half is supposed to work helps you catch it when it does not. These are the most common errors employers make:
Misclassifying workers as exempt. Calling someone a “manager” or putting them on salary does not exempt them from overtime. The actual job duties and salary level both have to meet the FLSA’s legal definition.
Excluding non-discretionary bonuses from the overtime rate. If you receive a production bonus or attendance bonus, your employer must factor that into your overtime rate for the week, not just pay straight overtime on your hourly wage.
Calculating overtime on biweekly hours instead of weekly hours. Overtime is calculated per workweek, not per pay period. Working 35 hours one week and 45 hours the next means you are owed 5 hours of overtime. An employer cannot average the two weeks and claim no overtime was worked.
Not counting all hours worked. Time spent on work-related tasks before or after a shift, mandatory training, and travel between job sites all count as hours worked under the FLSA.
How to Calculate Your Weekly Pay With Overtime
Here is the full formula for calculating a weekly paycheck that includes both regular and overtime hours:
(Regular hours x Regular rate) + (Overtime hours x Time and a half rate) = Total weekly pay
Example: You earn $18 per hour and worked 47 hours this week.
- Regular pay: 40 x $18.00 = $720.00
- Overtime rate: $18.00 x 1.5 = $27.00
- Overtime pay: 7 x $27.00 = $189.00
- Total weekly pay: $720.00 + $189.00 = $909.00
To run this calculation for your own wage and hours, use our free overtime pay calculator. It shows your regular pay, overtime pay, and total weekly earnings in one view.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does time and a half work exactly?
Time and a half means your employer pays you 1.5 times your regular hourly rate for every hour you work beyond 40 in a single workweek. If you earn $16 per hour, your time and a half rate is $24 per hour. Federal law requires this minimum rate for covered employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Does time and a half start at 40 hours or 8 hours?
Under federal law, time and a half starts after 40 hours in a workweek. Working more than 8 hours in a single day does not trigger overtime federally. However, California and a few other states require daily overtime after 8 hours in one day, so your state law may apply a stricter rule.
Do I get time and a half on my day off?
Not automatically. Federal law does not require overtime just because you worked on a day off. If working on your day off pushes your total hours for the week above 40, those extra hours must be paid at time and a half. Some employers voluntarily pay it for any day-off shift, but that is a company policy, not a federal requirement.
Can an employer refuse to pay time and a half?
If you are a non-exempt employee under the FLSA, your employer cannot legally refuse to pay time and a half for hours over 40 in a workweek. If they do, you can file a complaint with the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division. You may be entitled to back pay plus an equal amount in liquidated damages.
Does time and a half apply to salary workers?
It depends on whether the salaried employee is exempt or non-exempt. Exempt salaried employees do not receive overtime pay. Non-exempt salaried employees are entitled to overtime, and their employer must convert their salary to an hourly rate first before calculating the overtime premium.
Is time and a half required for working more than 8 hours?
Not under federal law. The FLSA triggers overtime based on weekly hours, not daily hours. You must work more than 40 hours in a workweek to earn time and a half at the federal level. California is the main exception, where daily overtime applies after 8 hours in a workday.