Weekly Overtime Calculator

How weekly overtime is commonly calculated

A weekly overtime estimate starts with paid hours in a single workweek. The calculator subtracts unpaid break hours from total hours, compares the remaining paid hours with the weekly overtime threshold, and splits the week into regular hours and overtime hours. It then applies the overtime multiplier to the overtime hours.

For many U.S. federal examples, covered nonexempt employees must receive overtime pay at not less than one and one-half times the regular rate for hours worked over 40 in a workweek. The default threshold is 40 hours and the default multiplier is 1.5x, but you can change both for planning or policy comparison.

Why the workweek matters

The workweek is important because overtime is commonly measured inside a fixed weekly period, not by the pay date or by an informal average. A workweek is a recurring seven-day period. A payroll period may include one week, two weeks, or part of a week, but the overtime estimate still depends on the weekly rule being modeled.

If you are paid every two weeks, do not assume the two weeks are averaged together for overtime. Use the biweekly overtime calculator to keep week 1 and week 2 separate.

Weekly overtime formula

The formula is intentionally direct. It works best when the hourly rate is a simple regular rate and there are no bonuses, commissions, multiple pay rates, shift differentials, or special premiums that affect the regular rate.

If your week includes those items, use a more specific calculator on this site before relying on the weekly result.

Paid weekly hours = Total weekly hours - Unpaid break hours
Regular hours = Minimum(Paid weekly hours, Overtime threshold)
Overtime hours = Paid weekly hours - Overtime threshold
Regular pay = Regular hours x Hourly rate
Overtime pay = Overtime hours x Hourly rate x Overtime multiplier
Total gross pay = Regular pay + Overtime pay

Example after 40 hours

Suppose a worker earns $25 per hour, works 46 total hours, and has no unpaid break hours to subtract. With a 40-hour threshold, regular hours are 40 and overtime hours are 6. At 1.5x, overtime pay is $225 and total estimated gross pay is $1,225.

Daily overtime and weekly overtime are different

Some users search weekly overtime after seeing daily overtime rules in another jurisdiction or employer policy. Daily overtime looks at hours worked in a day. Weekly overtime looks at hours in the workweek. A worker can have one, both, or neither depending on the applicable rule.

This calculator only models a weekly threshold. It does not apply daily overtime, seventh-day overtime, split-shift premiums, on-call rules, travel time rules, meal-period rules, or jurisdiction-specific exceptions.

What the calculator does not cover

The calculator does not decide whether a worker is exempt or nonexempt, whether all entered hours are compensable, whether unpaid breaks were validly excluded, or whether state law provides a different rule. It also does not estimate taxes or take-home pay.

Use it as a fast weekly math check. For a time-card workflow with daily clock times, use the timesheet overtime calculator. For multiple pay rates in the same week, use the weighted or blended calculators.