Overtime Pay Examples for Common Workweeks

Overtime examples are the fastest way to spot whether payroll used the right rate, the right hours, and the right state rule.

The examples below cover the most common scenarios: a normal 40-hour workweek, daily overtime, double time, salaried non-exempt overtime, tipped overtime, and bonus-adjusted regular-rate overtime.

Example 1: weekly overtime after 40

A Texas employee earns $18/hour and works 52 hours. Regular pay is 40 x $18 = $720. Overtime is 12 x $27 = $324. Total gross pay is $1,044.

Example 2: California daily overtime

A California employee earns $22/hour and works five 10-hour days. Each day has 8 regular hours and 2 daily overtime hours. Regular pay is 40 x $22 = $880. Daily overtime is 10 x $33 = $330. Total gross pay is $1,210.

Example 3: double time

A California employee earns $25/hour and works a 13-hour day. The first 8 hours are regular pay, the next 4 hours are time and a half, and the 13th hour is double time. The daily total is $200 regular pay + $150 overtime + $50 double time = $400.

Example 4: tipped employee overtime

Under the federal tip-credit method, overtime starts with the full minimum wage, not the $2.13 cash wage. The formula is full minimum wage x 1.5, then subtract the valid tip credit. State tipped wage rules can be more protective.

Example 5: bonus changes overtime

If a non-discretionary bonus covers the same workweek as overtime hours, the bonus can increase the regular rate. That may require an extra overtime true-up even after payroll already paid the base overtime line.