California Overtime Calculator
Updated November 2026 · Free · No sign-up
Calculate California overtime — the daily ladder most calculators ignore: 1.5x after 8 hours/day, 2x after 12, the 7th-consecutive-day rules, and weekly 40 on top.
Quick answer: California pays overtime daily: 1.5x after 8 hours in a day, 2x after 12; on the 7th consecutive workday, 1.5x for the first 8 and 2x beyond. A $25/hour worker doing a 14-hour day earns $200 + $150 + $100 = $450 — $137.50 more than federal-only math.
The California Daily Ladder
| Hours in the day | Rate |
|---|---|
| 0-8 | 1x |
| 8-12 | 1.5x |
| Over 12 | 2x |
| 7th consecutive day: first 8 | 1.5x |
| 7th consecutive day: beyond 8 | 2x |
Weekly overtime (1.5x past 40 straight-time hours) still applies on top, but the same hour is never paid twice — California uses whichever basis yields more. Federal FLSA only has the weekly 40 trigger; the daily ladder is state law (Labor Code 510 + Wage Orders).
Worked Examples
Example 1 — the 14-hour day. $25/hr: 8 × $25 + 4 × $37.50 + 2 × $50 = $450. Federal-only math would pay $350 if the week stayed under 40 — the daily rules are worth $100 here.
Example 2 — four 10-hour days. 40 total hours, zero federal OT — but California owes 2 OT hours per day: 8 × $37.50 = $300 of premium weekly. This is why 4/10 schedules need a formally adopted alternative workweek (two-thirds secret-ballot vote, filed with the DLSE) to run without daily OT.
Example 3 — 7th consecutive day. $25/hr, 10 hours on day 7: 8 × $37.50 + 2 × $50 = $400 — the 7th-day rule applies even if the week's total hours are modest.
The Regular Rate Trap
Overtime computes on the regular rate, not the base wage: nondiscretionary bonuses, commissions, and shift differentials must be folded in before multiplying. A $25 base with a $2 differential makes OT $40.50, not $37.50 — systematically unpaid premium differences are a classic back pay claim with California's generous penalties on top.
Who the Daily Rules Cover (and Who They Don't)
- Covered: non-exempt employees in California regardless of employer size — including most hourly tech, retail, healthcare (with Wage Order variations), and remote workers physically working in CA.
- Exempt: genuine executive/administrative/professional employees earning at least 2x state minimum wage annualized for full-time — a salary alone does NOT make you exempt.
- Alternative workweeks: properly adopted 4/10s avoid daily OT up to 10 hours — but hours 10-12 still pay 1.5x and beyond 12 pays 2x.
- Collective bargaining: valid CBAs with premium wage schemes can supersede some provisions.
Related California Premiums (Stack Awareness)
The same shift can also trigger a meal/rest break penalty (one extra hour of pay per violation day), split-shift or reporting-time premiums, and — at termination — waiting time penalties of up to 30 days of wages for unpaid finals. California wage math is a stack; each layer compounds the employer's exposure and the worker's recovery.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does overtime work in California?
Daily: 1.5x after 8 hours, 2x after 12; plus 1.5x/2x on the 7th consecutive workday; plus weekly 1.5x past 40 straight-time hours — whichever basis pays more, never both for the same hour.
Is overtime after 8 hours a day in California?
Yes — 1.5x for hours 8-12 and double time past 12, regardless of weekly totals. Federal law only triggers at 40/week; California adds the daily ladder.
What is double time in California?
Hours beyond 12 in a single day, and hours beyond 8 on the 7th consecutive day of a workweek, pay 2x the regular rate.
Does a salary make me exempt from California overtime?
No — exemption needs both the duties test AND a salary of at least twice the state minimum wage annualized. Misclassified salaried staff can recover years of daily OT.
Do bonuses affect California overtime pay?
Yes — nondiscretionary bonuses, commissions, and differentials fold into the regular rate before the 1.5x/2x multiplication.
Can a 4/10 schedule avoid California daily overtime?
Only via a formally adopted alternative workweek (two-thirds employee vote, filed with the state) — and even then, hours past 10 pay 1.5x and past 12 pay 2x.
✓ Formula verified • Last updated: November 3, 2026