Time and a half: what it means and how to work it out
"Time and a half" is the rate most overtime is paid at — and the name is the whole formula. Here is what it means, what it pays at common wages, and when you are owed it.
The meaning
Time and a half means your normal hourly rate plus half of it again — a 1.5× multiplier. If you earn $20 an hour, time and a half is $20 + $10 = $30 an hour. Double time is simply 2×: $40 an hour.
Rate table for common wages
| Normal rate | Time and a half (1.5×) | Double time (2×) |
|---|---|---|
| $12 | $18 | $24 |
| $15 | $22.5 | $30 |
| $16 | $24 | $32 |
| $18 | $27 | $36 |
| $20 | $30 | $40 |
| $22 | $33 | $44 |
| $25 | $37.5 | $50 |
| $30 | $45 | $60 |
When you are owed it
Federally, time and a half is owed on hours over 40 in a workweek for most hourly (non-exempt) workers. In California, Alaska, Colorado and Nevada it can also be owed on long days. Some union contracts and employers pay it for nights, weekends or holidays too — that part is policy, not law, unless a contract says so.
A full example
You earn $18/hour and work 44 hours: 40 × $18 = $720, plus 4 × $27 = $108, for $828 gross. If those same hours included a 13-hour day in California, the hours past 12 would be double time at $36 — the total climbs again, which is why where you work matters as much as how long.
Salaried but non-exempt?
Some salaried workers are still owed overtime. Their hourly rate is found by dividing the weekly salary by the hours it was meant to cover — a $1,000 salary for a 40-hour week is $25/hour, so time and a half is $37.50.
Try it free
Skip the hand maths — the Time and a Half Calculator does all of this automatically, with your state's rules built in.