Overtime Owed Calculator
Calculate overtime wages owed from hourly rate and hours over 40 per week.
Returns overtime at 1.5x rate, total wages owed, and potential FLSA back pay amount.
Unpaid overtime is one of the most common wage violations in the United States. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), non-exempt employees must be paid at 1.5× their regular rate for all hours worked over 40 in a single workweek.
Federal overtime formula:
Overtime Rate = Regular Hourly Rate × 1.5
Overtime Hours = Total Hours Worked − 40 (if > 40)
Overtime Pay = Overtime Hours × Overtime Rate
Unpaid Amount = Overtime Pay − Overtime Actually Paid
Worked example:
- Hourly rate: $18.00/hr
- Hours worked this week: 52
- Overtime hours: 52 − 40 = 12 hours
- Overtime rate: $18 × 1.5 = $27.00/hr
- Overtime owed: 12 × $27 = $324.00
- If employer paid only $18/hr for those 12 hours: underpaid by 12 × ($27 − $18) = $108.00
FLSA exemption categories (NOT entitled to overtime):
- Executive employees managing 2+ people
- Administrative employees exercising independent judgment
- Professionals with advanced knowledge (lawyers, doctors, CPAs)
- Outside sales employees
- Salary ≥ $684/week (as of 2024)
State law note: Many states have stricter rules:
- California: Daily overtime applies after 8 hours/day; double time after 12 hours
- Alaska, Nevada: Daily overtime after 8 hours
- Colorado: Daily overtime rules apply
Statute of limitations: FLSA claims generally go back 2 years (3 years for willful violations). State laws may allow longer look-back periods.
What to do: Document your time records, contact your state labor board, or consult an employment attorney — many work on contingency for wage theft cases.