Federal FLSA vs. State Overtime Laws
In the United States, your paycheck is governed by two sets of rules: the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the labor laws specific to your state or local municipality. The golden rule of employment law is that employers must follow whichever law provides the most benefit to the employee.
Under the federal FLSA, employers must pay non-exempt employees 1.5 times their regular hourly rate for any hours worked over 40 in a single 7-day workweek.
Why Do You Need a State-Specific Calculator?
A generic "multiply by 1.5" calculator is dangerous and often results in stolen wages, because states frequently override federal laws to protect workers further. Common state-specific overrides include:
- Daily Overtime: States like California, Nevada, Alaska, and Colorado mandate overtime pay if you work more than 8 or 12 hours in a single day, regardless of your weekly total.
- Higher Minimum Wages: While the federal minimum is stuck at $7.25, jurisdictions like Washington D.C. and Washington State enforce wages above $17.00/hr.
- Unique Industry Exemptions: States like Maryland and Minnesota have highly specific 48-hour or 60-hour thresholds based on whether you work in agriculture, bowling alleys, or small businesses.
- Tipped Worker Rules: The federal tipped wage is $2.13. But states like Minnesota and California ban the "Tip Credit" entirely, requiring employers to pay servers the full standard minimum wage before tips.
Select your state from the directory above to access a calculator with your local laws built into the backend math.