What This Calculator Does
This tool applies to California (US) employees and estimates gross pay using California's daily and weekly overtime rules. Under California labor law, non-exempt workers earn 1.5× their regular rate for hours worked beyond 8 in a day or beyond 40 in a week, and the first 8 hours on the seventh consecutive workday. They earn double time (2×) for hours beyond 12 in a single workday, and beyond 8 on the seventh consecutive day. Rules reflect general California standards; your specific wage agreement may differ.
How to Use It
Enter your regular hourly rate, then split your worked hours into three buckets: regular hours (at base rate), overtime hours (paid at 1.5×), and double-time hours (paid at 2×). The calculator multiplies each bucket by its premium and sums them into your total gross pay before taxes and deductions.
The Formula Explained
The pay equation is straightforward once hours are categorized: $$\text{Pay} = (H_{reg} \times R) + (H_{ot} \times 1.5R) + (H_{dt} \times 2R)$$ The categorization itself follows California's thresholds — anything over 8 hours/day or 40 hours/week is overtime, and anything over 12 hours/day rolls into double time.
Worked Example
Suppose you earn $20/hour and work a 14-hour day. The first 8 hours are regular ($160), hours 9–12 are overtime at $30/hr (\(4 \times \$30 = \$120\)), and hours 13–14 are double time at $40/hr (\(2 \times \$40 = \$80\)). Total gross pay = $$\$160 + \$120 + \$80 = \mathbf{\$360}$$
California Overtime Thresholds
California uses both daily and weekly overtime rules — unlike federal law, which only counts hours over 40 in a week. The table below maps each trigger to the multiplier applied to the employee's regular rate of pay. Hours are counted under whichever rule gives the employee the greater amount, and the same hour is never paid twice.
| Trigger | Pay rate |
|---|---|
| Over 8 hours in a workday (up to 12) | 1.5× regular rate |
| Over 12 hours in a workday | 2× regular rate |
| Over 40 hours in a workweek | 1.5× regular rate |
| First 8 hours on the 7th consecutive workday | 1.5× regular rate |
| Beyond 8 hours on the 7th consecutive workday | 2× regular rate |
These rules apply to non-exempt employees in California. Properly classified exempt employees (executive, administrative, professional, etc.) are generally not entitled to overtime.
Pay Across Common Work Scenarios
The scenarios below all use a sample regular rate of \(R = \$20/\text{hr}\). Each pay component is computed with the California formula \(\text{Pay} = (H_{reg} \times R) + (H_{ot} \times 1.5R) + (H_{dt} \times 2R)\), where \(1.5R = \$30\) and \(2R = \$40\).
| Scenario | Regular hrs | OT hrs (1.5×) | DT hrs (2×) | Gross pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard 8-hr day | 8 | 0 | 0 | $160.00 |
| 10-hr day | 8 | 2 | 0 | $220.00 |
| 14-hr day | 8 | 4 | 2 | $360.00 |
| 45-hr week (five 9-hr days) | 40 | 5 | 0 | $950.00 |
| 7th consecutive workday (8 hrs) | 0 | 8 | 0 | $240.00 |
The 14-hour day shows California's daily rule in action: the first 8 hours are regular ($160), hours 9–12 are overtime at 1.5× (4 hrs × $30 = $120), and hours beyond 12 are double-time at 2× (2 hrs × $40 = $80), totaling $360. On the 7th consecutive day, all 8 hours are paid at 1.5× even though no single threshold of 8 daily hours was exceeded.
Key Terms Explained
- Regular rate of pay
- The hourly base used to compute overtime. It includes the hourly wage and certain nondiscretionary compensation (such as shift differentials and most bonuses) divided into an effective hourly figure; it is not always just the stated hourly wage.
- Non-exempt employee
- A worker who is entitled to overtime and meal/rest break protections. Most hourly employees are non-exempt. Employees are exempt only if they meet specific salary and duties tests.
- Daily overtime
- A California rule requiring 1.5× pay for hours worked beyond 8 in a single workday, and 2× pay for hours beyond 12 in a workday — independent of weekly totals.
- Weekly overtime
- 1.5× pay for hours worked beyond 40 straight-time hours in a workweek. Hours already counted as daily overtime are not counted again toward the 40-hour weekly threshold.
- Double-time
- Pay at twice the regular rate (2×). In California it applies to hours over 12 in a workday and to hours over 8 on the seventh consecutive workday in a workweek.
- Seventh consecutive workday rule
- When an employee works all seven days of a single workweek, the first 8 hours on the seventh day are paid at 1.5× and any hours beyond 8 that day are paid at 2×.
FAQ
When does double time start in California? After 12 hours in a single workday, or after 8 hours on the seventh consecutive day of work in a week.
Does this include taxes? No — this is gross (pre-tax) pay. Withholdings, Social Security, and other deductions are not applied.
What is the "regular rate"? It is your base hourly wage, though legally it may also include certain bonuses and commissions. Enter your effective hourly rate for the most accurate result.
