How to Calculate Time and a Half
Time and a half rate = Hourly rate × 1.5
Time and a half is calculated by adding half of the hourly rate to the hourly rate: $18 + $9 = $27. Multiply the result by the hours worked at that rate.
| Hourly rate | Time and a half | Double time |
|---|---|---|
| $12 | $18 | $24 |
| $15 | $22.50 | $30 |
| $17 | $25.50 | $34 |
| $18 | $27 | $36 |
| $20 | $30 | $40 |
| $22 | $33 | $44 |
| $25 | $37.50 | $50 |
| $30 | $45 | $60 |
Time and a Half vs Double Time
Time and a half pays 1.5 times the rate; double time pays 2 times the rate. Federal law requires only time and a half. Double time comes from state law, a union contract or company policy.
- California: double time after 12 hours in a day and after 8 hours on the 7th consecutive workday.
- Holidays: no federal law requires holiday premium pay; employers who pay time and a half on holidays do so by policy.
Who Gets Time and a Half
Time and a half goes to non-exempt employees: hourly workers and salaried workers below the FLSA salary threshold or outside the executive, administrative and professional duty tests. Independent contractors receive no overtime premium.
The Overtime Calculator adds the after-tax value of overtime hours.
Weekly Pay With Time and a Half Hours
Weekly pay with time and a half is 40 hours at the regular rate plus every extra hour at 1.5 times the rate. The table keeps the rate at $18, so each extra hour pays $27.
| Hours in the week | Time and a half pay | Total weekly pay |
|---|---|---|
| 40 hours | $0 | $720 |
| 44 hours | $108 | $828 |
| 46 hours | $162 | $882 |
| 48 hours | $216 | $936 |
| 50 hours | $270 | $990 |
| 55 hours | $405 | $1,125 |
| 60 hours | $540 | $1,260 |
The premium part is only the extra half. At $18 an hour that is $9 for each hour past 40; the rest of the hour is ordinary pay.
Time and a Half for a 50 or 60 Hour Week
A 50 hour week at $20 an hour pays $1,100: $800 for the first 40 hours and $300 for 10 hours at $30. A 60 hour week, such as five 12 hour shifts, pays $1,400.
- 50 hours every week for a year: $57,200 of gross pay, against $41,600 for 40 hours.
- 60 hours every week for a year: $72,800 of gross pay.
- Federal limit: the FLSA sets no cap on weekly hours for adults; it only sets the rate for hours past 40.
Four 12 hour shifts make 48 hours, so 8 of them earn time and a half. Under federal law the long shifts themselves do not matter; only the weekly total counts.
Time and a Half With Taxes
Time and a half is taxed at the same income tax, Social Security and Medicare rates as any other hour of pay. There is no special overtime tax rate.
Withholding can still jump in a heavy week. Payroll systems project each check over a full year, so a $1,400 check is withheld as if the job paid $72,800 a year. The return settles the true tax.
For 2025 to 2028, a worker whose overtime is required by the FLSA can subtract the half-rate premium from federal taxable income when filing, up to $12,500 a year ($25,000 on a joint return). Six extra hours a week at $18 build $2,808 of premium over a year. The Overtime Calculator shows overtime after withholding.
Time and a Half on a Salary
A non-exempt salaried worker earns time and a half on an hourly rate equal to the weekly salary divided by the hours the salary is meant to pay for.
Time and a half rate = (Weekly salary ÷ Normal weekly hours) × 1.5
A $46,800 salary is $900 a week. Over a 40 hour week the hourly rate is $22.50, and time and a half is $33.75. Five extra hours add $168.75 to that week.
A salary alone does not make a worker exempt. The Department of Labor enforces a minimum salary of $684 a week for the white collar exemptions, and the job duties must also fit. The Salary to Hourly Calculator finds the hourly rate of any salary.
What Goes Into the Regular Rate
The rate that gets multiplied by 1.5 is the regular rate: all pay for the week divided by all hours worked, not always the posted hourly wage.
- Included: nondiscretionary bonuses (attendance, production, safety), shift differentials and commissions.
- Left out: discretionary bonuses, gifts, pay for vacation or sick hours not worked, and expense reimbursements.
Example: $18 an hour, 46 hours and a $46 production bonus. Straight-time pay is $874, so the regular rate is $19. The 6 overtime hours add half of that rate each, $57, for a week of $931.
Time and a Half on Holidays and Weekends
Federal law does not require time and a half for holidays, weekends or night shifts. The FLSA counts hours in the workweek, not the day they fall on.
- Paid holidays off: hours paid but not worked do not count toward the 40 hours.
- Holiday premium by policy: when an employer pays at least 1.5 times for holiday or weekend work, that premium may be credited toward overtime owed in the same week.
- Union and state rules: a contract or a state law can add holiday, Sunday or seventh day premiums.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate my time and a half?
You calculate time and a half by multiplying your hourly rate by 1.5. A $16 rate becomes $24 an hour for every overtime hour.
How much more do you get paid for time and a half?
You get paid 50% more per hour at time and a half. Each hour at $20 time and a half adds $10 above the regular rate.
Is time and a half paid after 8 hours a day?
No, not under federal law, which counts 40 hours a week. Yes in California, Alaska and Nevada, which add daily overtime rules.
What is time and a half pay?
Time and a half pay is 150% of the regular hourly rate, paid for each overtime hour. A $20 rate becomes $30 for those hours.
How do you do time and a half on a calculator?
You do time and a half on a calculator by keying in the rate, multiplying by 1.5, then multiplying by the overtime hours: 18 × 1.5 × 6 = $162.
How many hours do you work before time and a half?
You work 40 hours in a workweek before time and a half starts under federal law. A few states also start it after 8 hours in one day.
Is time and a half taxed more than regular pay?
No. Time and a half uses the same tax rates as regular hours; only the withholding on a big check can look higher because payroll projects it over a year.
Do you get time and a half on holidays?
Only if the employer, a union contract or a state law provides it. Federal law requires no holiday premium, and holiday hours not worked do not count toward 40.