Overtime on a two-week paycheck
Understand why 80 total hours does not always mean there was no overtime.
You worked more than 40 hours in one week and fewer in the next, but your paycheck shows 80 regular hours and no overtime.
Short answerFor covered nonexempt workers under the usual federal rule, overtime is determined by each fixed workweek. Hours generally cannot be averaged across two weeks to remove overtime.
Pay period and workweek are different
A pay period tells the employer when wages are paid. A workweek is a fixed recurring period of 168 hours. A two-week paycheck commonly contains two separate workweeks, and the overtime calculation is normally performed separately for each one.
The 46 plus 34 example
If a covered nonexempt employee works 46 hours in week one and 34 in week two, the pay period total is 80. Under the common federal rule, week one still contains six overtime hours. The shorter second week does not erase them.
The workweek may not start on Monday
An employer can establish a workweek that begins on another day and at another hour. A hospital workweek might begin Sunday morning. A manufacturing site might use a different boundary. Your personal calendar week is not necessarily the payroll workweek.
Weekends do not automatically mean overtime
Saturday, Sunday and holiday work are not automatically overtime under the federal rule. The hours become overtime when they cross the applicable threshold, unless an employer policy, union agreement, state law or special rule provides something more generous.
Some workers follow different rules
Exempt employees, certain public-safety workers and employees under some healthcare arrangements can follow different standards. State law may also provide additional protection. Use this guide as a starting point and verify the rule that applies to your job.
How to reconstruct your check
Mark the exact workweek boundary. Place every worked hour into the correct week, excluding only valid unpaid time. Calculate straight-time earnings and overtime for each week, then compare the combined result with the paycheck.
What to collect before you calculate
- Employer's fixed workweek boundary
- Hours in week one
- Hours in week two
- Employee classification
- State or special-industry rules
Use your own rates and rules
Run the numbers, save the breakdown and compare it with your policy or pay stub.
Calculate one workweek or pay period →