How California Overtime Works
California is one of the few states that mandates daily overtime in addition to weekly overtime. Under California Labor Code Section 510 and the Industrial Welfare Commission (IWC) Wage Orders, standard non-exempt hourly employees receive premium pay based on daily hours worked within a single workday and cumulative hours worked within a single employer-established workweek.
1. Daily Overtime (1.5x)
Any hours worked in excess of eight (8) hours up to and including twelve (12) hours in any single workday must be compensated at no less than one and one-half (1.5) times the employee's regular rate of pay.
2. Weekly Overtime (1.5x) & The Strict No-Pyramiding Rule
Any hours worked in excess of forty (40) hours in an employer-defined workweek must be paid at 1.5 times the regular rate of pay.
The No-Pyramiding Statutory Principle (California Labor Code § 510 & DIR AB 60 Memorandum):
Under California law, hours that have already been classified as daily overtime, daily double-time, or seventh-day premium hours are never counted again toward the 40-hour weekly threshold.
For example, if an employee works four 12-hour shifts (48 total hours), each shift contains 8 regular hours and 4 daily overtime hours. Total regular hours equal 32 (4 × 8), which does not exceed 40. Therefore, the employee receives 32 regular hours and 16 daily overtime hours. The 16 daily overtime hours cannot be pyramided to trigger an additional weekly overtime premium.
3. Double-Time Pay (2.0x)
California requires double the employee's regular hourly rate (2.0x) in two distinct scenarios:
- Hours beyond 12 in a workday: Any work performed in excess of twelve (12) hours in any single workday must be compensated at twice the regular rate.
- Hours beyond 8 on the seventh consecutive workday: Any work performed in excess of eight (8) hours on the seventh consecutive workday of a workweek must be paid at twice the regular rate.
4. Seventh Consecutive Workday Rule
If an employee works on all seven consecutive days within the employer's established workweek:
Note: The consecutive days must occur within the same employer-defined workweek. Consecutive days spanning across the boundary of two different workweeks do not trigger this statutory rule.
5. Comprehensive Worked Example
Consider a worker earning $20.00/hour who logs the following schedule across an employer workweek starting Monday:
| Day | Hours | Classification | Gross Pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | 10 hrs | 8 Regular + 2 Daily Overtime (1.5x) | $220.00 |
| Tue | 8 hrs | 8 Regular | $160.00 |
| Wed | 8 hrs | 8 Regular | $160.00 |
| Thu | 8 hrs | 8 Regular | $160.00 |
| Fri | 6 hrs | 6 Regular (Cumulative Regular = 38h) | $120.00 |
| Sat & Sun | 0 hrs | Off | $0.00 |
Total: 38 regular hours ($760.00) + 2 daily overtime hours ($60.00) = $820.00. Because regular hours did not exceed 40, no weekly overtime applies.
6. Who This Calculator May Not Cover
This calculator models the general rule for non-exempt hourly employees. It is not designed to calculate pay for employees subject to statutory exceptions, such as:
- Exempt employees: Salaried executive, administrative, and professional employees meeting the California salary and duties tests under Labor Code § 515.
- Alternative Workweek Schedules (AWS): Employees working approved 4/10 or 9/80 schedules under Labor Code § 511.
- Union employees under CBAs: Workers covered by valid collective bargaining agreements that meet the requirements of Labor Code § 514.
- Specialized industry orders: Agriculture (IWC Order 14), live-in domestic employees (Order 15), or healthcare 8/80 agreements.
- Complex pay structures: Piece-rate, commissions, or non-discretionary bonus adjustments affecting the regular rate.
7. Official Government Sources & Citations
Agency: California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) – Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE)
Citation: California Labor Code §§ 510, 511; IWC Wage Orders • Verified: 2026-10-07
Official guidance on daily overtime (over 8 hours), weekly overtime (over 40 hours), double time (over 12 hours), and seventh consecutive workday premium rules.
Agency: California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) – Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE)
Citation: California Labor Code §§ 514, 515, 554; IWC Wage Orders § 1(A)-(B) • Verified: 2026-10-07
Official documentation of statutory exceptions to general overtime rules, including executive/administrative/professional exemptions, collective bargaining agreements, and specific industry orders.
Agency: California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) – Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE)
Citation: California Labor Code § 510; California DIR AB 60 Memorandum (Cal. Stats. 1999, ch. 134) • Verified: 2026-10-07
Official California DIR memorandum establishing that the same hour cannot be counted under more than one overtime calculation, explicitly demonstrating the four 12-hour shifts non-pyramiding principle.
Agency: California State Legislature
Citation: Cal. Lab. Code § 510(a) • Verified: 2026-10-07
Codifies eight-hour workday, 40-hour workweek, rate of no less than one and one-half times regular pay, double time over 12 hours, and seventh day premium.
California Daily Overtime & Double-Time Rules: Labor Code § 510
Read our in-depth legal guide to 1.5x daily overtime, 2.0x double-time, 7th consecutive day rules, and regular rate calculation under Alvarado v. Dart Container Corp.
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