Time and a half means you’re paid 1.5 times your regular rate for each overtime hour. At $20.00 an hour, time and a half is $30.00. Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, non-exempt employees earn it for every hour worked over 40 in a workweek.
The formula is simple. The part that trips up payroll is the words “regular rate,” which isn’t always your base hourly wage. Here’s the math, a quick table, and the cases where time and a half comes out higher than people expect.
The formula
Time and a half rate = regular rate × 1.5
Overtime pay for the week = overtime hours × regular rate × 1.5
Example: $18.00 an hour, 46 hours worked.
- Regular pay: 40 × $18.00 = $720.00
- Overtime rate: $18.00 × 1.5 = $27.00
- Overtime pay: 6 × $27.00 = $162.00
- Total: $882.00
Another way to see it: all 46 hours at $18.00 is $828.00, and the “half” on top for the 6 overtime hours is 6 × $9.00 = $54.00. Same $882.00. That half is the overtime premium, and it’s the part that counts for the overtime tax deduction.
Time and a half at common pay rates
| Hourly rate | Time and a half | 5 overtime hours | 10 overtime hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| $15.00 | $22.50 | $112.50 | $225.00 |
| $17.50 | $26.25 | $131.25 | $262.50 |
| $20.00 | $30.00 | $150.00 | $300.00 |
| $22.50 | $33.75 | $168.75 | $337.50 |
| $25.00 | $37.50 | $187.50 | $375.00 |
| $30.00 | $45.00 | $225.00 | $450.00 |
For any rate not in the table, the overtime calculator does the full week, including double time where a state or employer requires it.
Regular rate vs hourly rate
Your regular rate is total pay for the workweek, minus a few excluded items, divided by total hours worked. For someone paid only a flat hourly wage, that’s just the hourly wage. But several common pay items push it higher.
Shift differentials. The regulations say night shift differentials and premiums for hazardous or dirty work must be included in the regular rate. If you earn $20.00 plus a $2.00 night differential, your time and a half is based on $22.00, so it’s $33.00, not $30.00.
Nondiscretionary bonuses. Attendance bonuses, production bonuses and anything promised in advance belong in the regular rate. Only discretionary bonuses, where the employer decides whether and how much to pay at the end of the period, can be left out.
Example: $20.00 an hour, 45 hours, plus a $90 weekly production bonus.
- Straight-time pay: 45 × $20.00 = $900.00, plus the $90 bonus = $990.00
- Regular rate: $990.00 ÷ 45 = $22.00
- Overtime premium: 5 hours × ($22.00 × 0.5) = $55.00
- Total: $1,045.00
Paying only $20.00 × 1.5 on those 5 hours would underpay by $5.00. Small for one week, larger across a shift of 30 people for a year.
Two different rates in one week. If you work as a cashier at $16.00 and a shift lead at $19.00 in the same week, the default is a weighted average. Under 778.115, total straight-time earnings divided by total hours gives the regular rate, and the overtime premium is half of that per overtime hour. Under 778.419, an employer and employee can agree in advance to pay overtime at the rate of the job actually worked during the overtime hours instead.
Time and a half vs double time
Double time is 2 times the regular rate. Federal law never requires it. Some state laws do, and plenty of union contracts and company policies pay it for holidays or very long shifts. If your employer pays double time on a holiday, the holiday pay rules guide explains how that premium can count toward overtime owed.
Who gets time and a half
Non-exempt employees covered by the FLSA. That’s most hourly workers and some salaried ones. Exempt employees, those who pass the salary basis, salary level and duties tests, don’t have to be paid overtime at all. Being salaried isn’t enough to be exempt; the exempt vs non-exempt guide covers the tests.
A few points people get wrong:
- Overtime is counted per workweek, not per pay period. Two 45-hour weeks in a biweekly period mean 10 overtime hours, even though 90 hours over two weeks “averages” to 45.
- Paid holidays, vacation and sick days don’t count toward the 40 unless your employer’s policy says they do.
- Unapproved overtime still has to be paid. An employer can discipline someone for working without approval, but it still owes the time and a half.
FAQ
Is time and a half 1.5 times your pay or 50% extra? Both, they’re the same thing. 1.5 times the rate equals the rate plus 50%.
Do part-time workers get time and a half? Only for hours over 40 in a workweek under federal law, the same as full-time workers. A part-timer who works 38 hours gets no federal overtime.
Do you get time and a half on Sundays or holidays? Not under federal law. Weekend and holiday premiums come from state law, contracts or company policy.
If you’re checking a paycheck, start with one number: your regular rate for that week. Add any shift differential and nondiscretionary bonus to your hourly pay before you multiply by 1.5, and the rest of the math follows.
