Time and a half means being paid 1.5 times your regular hourly rate. It is the standard federal overtime premium: for each overtime hour, you earn your normal rate plus an extra half of that rate. At $20/hour, time and a half is $30/hour.
How to calculate time and a half
Two equivalent ways:
- Multiply by 1.5: $20 × 1.5 = $30/hour.
- Add half your rate: $20 + ($20 ÷ 2) = $20 + $10 = $30/hour.
Then multiply by your overtime hours. Six overtime hours at $20/hour = 6 × $30 = $180 of overtime pay, on top of your regular wages. The time and a half calculator does this instantly.
Time and a half rate for common wages
| Regular rate | Time and a half (1.5×) |
|---|---|
| $12.00 | $18.00 |
| $15.00 | $22.50 |
| $18.00 | $27.00 |
| $20.00 | $30.00 |
| $25.00 | $37.50 |
| $30.00 | $45.00 |
When do you earn time and a half?
Under the FLSA, non-exempt employees earn time and a half for hours worked beyond 40 in a single workweek. A few important clarifications:
- It’s weekly, not daily federally — a 10-hour day isn’t time and a half unless the week tops 40 (California and a few states add a daily 8-hour rule).
- Weekends and nights aren’t automatic. There’s no federal weekend or night premium; those come from employer policy.
- Only worked hours count. Holiday and PTO hours don’t push you toward the 40-hour threshold.
Time and a half vs. double time
| Time and a half | Double time | |
|---|---|---|
| Multiplier | 1.5× | 2× |
| Required by | Federal FLSA (over 40h/week) | State law or contract only |
| Example ($20) | $30/hour | $40/hour |
Double time (2×) is never required by federal law. California is the main state that mandates it — after 12 hours in a workday, and after 8 hours on the 7th consecutive day. See overtime vs double time.
Does it include bonuses?
Yes — and this trips people up. Non-discretionary bonuses and commissions must be folded into your “regular rate” before the 1.5× is applied, which raises your overtime rate. If you earned a production bonus in a week with overtime, your time-and-a-half rate that week is higher than 1.5× your base wage alone.
A tax note for 2025–2028
The new No Tax on Overtime deduction targets exactly the “half” of time and a half — the premium portion above your regular rate. That extra $10/hour (on a $20 wage) is the part that may be deductible from federal income tax, within annual caps.