Overtime Calculator

The overtime calculator works out what a week with overtime hours is actually worth, and shows how much of your pay comes from premium hours. It is useful whether you are checking a payslip, negotiating a rate, or comparing a job that offers overtime against one that does not.

The core mechanic is simple. Your regular hours are paid at your hourly rate. Your overtime hours are paid at that rate multiplied by the overtime multiplier, which is typically 1.5x. The difference between the two is the overtime premium, and that premium is what this calculator isolates.

Overtime rules vary considerably, which is why the calculator has fields for the rules that differ. In California, for example, the daily overtime threshold is eight hours and the rate is 1.5x, rising to 2x after twelve hours in a day. Many other states have no daily rule and instead use a weekly threshold of forty hours. Double time applies in some jurisdictions for Sunday work or for hours worked beyond a seventh consecutive day.

The effective hourly rate is the figure worth remembering. Divide total pay by total hours worked, and you get what you genuinely earn per hour. If you regularly work overtime, your effective rate is meaningfully higher than your base rate, and this is the number to use when comparing roles.

Be aware that overtime is usually paid at the base rate without other allowances, and in many places unpaid overtime is calculated differently from the way it is shown here. If you are uncertain about how your own situation is treated, your employment contract or your employer is the authoritative source.