Work hours & pay
Double time pay calculator
Split a shift into regular, time-and-a-half and double-time hours to see the pay from each band and the total.
Double time means twice your base rate. Enter each band's hours separately; the double-time hours are not also counted as regular.
How double-time pay adds up
Double time means every qualifying hour is paid at twice your base hourly rate. When a shift crosses more than one threshold, pay is split into bands and each band is paid at its own rate: total = regular hours × rate + overtime hours × 1.5 × rate + double-time hours × 2 × rate. The key is that an hour is counted in only one band, so you do not pay regular and double time on the same hour.
With a $20 base rate, 40 regular hours earn $800. Five hours at time and a half are paid at $30, adding $150. Two hours at double time are paid at $40, adding $80. The gross for the period is $1,030 across 47 hours. Double time typically applies to hours beyond a high daily threshold, to the seventh consecutive workday, or to designated holidays, depending on the rule in force.
| Band | Multiplier | Rate on $20 | Pay for 2 h |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular | 1× | $20.00 | $40.00 |
| Time and a half | 1.5× | $30.00 | $60.00 |
| Double time | 2× | $40.00 | $80.00 |
When double time applies
Federal US law does not require double time at all. The Fair Labor Standards Act only mandates time and a half beyond 40 hours in a week; double time is a matter of state law, union agreement or employer policy. California is the best-known example: it requires double time for hours beyond 12 in a workday and beyond 8 on the seventh consecutive day in a workweek. Many union contracts add double time for holidays or the sixth and seventh days.
Because the bands are additive, the order you fill them matters for daily-overtime rules: assign hours to the highest-premium band first when the law counts from the top of the day down. Enter the hours already classified by your timesheet rather than guessing, and keep base rate separate from shift differentials, since a night or weekend premium is sometimes folded into the "regular rate" used to calculate overtime under the FLSA.
Frequently asked questions
What does double time mean?
Double time is pay at twice your base hourly rate. On a $20 rate, a double-time hour is worth $40. It is higher than time and a half, which pays 1.5 times the base rate.
Is double time required by law?
Not under US federal law, which only requires time and a half over 40 hours a week. Double time comes from state law, such as California's daily rules, union contracts or employer policy.
Are double-time hours also counted as regular hours?
No. Each hour falls in a single band. A double-time hour is paid at twice the rate instead of the regular rate, not on top of it, so enter each band's hours separately.