Methodology and sources
Last reviewed 2026-10-03.
How hours are counted
- Each shift becomes minutes: end minus start, plus 24 hours if the end is earlier, minus the unpaid break.
- Minutes are added by day. Overnight shifts count on the day they started.
- All money is kept in whole cents and rounded once per pay component.
How overtime is counted
- Daily rules apply first where they exist: overtime and double time by the hour limits for the day.
- California's seventh-day rule applies only if hours were entered for all seven days of the week.
- Then the weekly limit of 40 hours applies. Only hours still at the regular rate count toward the 40, so no hour earns a premium twice.
- Pay is regular hours at the rate, overtime at 1.5 times and double time at 2 times.
Rules in use
| Rules | Daily | Weekly | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal (FLSA) | None | Over 40 hours | Non-exempt employees |
| California | Over 8 hours, double time over 12 | Over 40 hours | Seventh consecutive day of the workweek |
| Alaska | Over 8 hours | Over 40 hours | Many listed exceptions |
| Nevada | Over 8 hours, if paid under 1.5× minimum wage | Over 40 hours | Four 10-hour days by agreement |
| Colorado | Over 12 hours | Over 40 hours | Also 12 consecutive hours |
Not modeled
- Exempt employees. Some salaried roles are exempt from overtime. The Department of Labor explains the tests in Fact Sheet 17A.
- Alternative workweek schedules, industry wage orders and union contracts.
- Colorado's rule for 12 consecutive hours across midnight.
- Time rounding at the punch clock, and which activities count as paid hours. See Fact Sheet 22.
- States other than those listed. Most follow the federal rule, but several have their own, so check yours.
Sources
- US Department of Labor: Fact Sheet 23, overtime pay under the FLSA
- California: California Department of Industrial Relations: overtime FAQ
- Alaska: Alaska Statutes, AS 23.10.060: payment for overtime (Justia copy)
- Nevada: Nevada Revised Statutes, NRS 608.018: overtime
- Colorado: Colorado Department of Labor and Employment: COMPS Order #39 (check for the current order)
Corrections
Laws change. If you find a number that is out of date, write to us through the contact page.