One of the many benefits of working a lot in California is that employees are often entitled to overtime pay. Overtime pay allows employees to earn more than the usual amount of wages for the extra time they worked.
Employees should understand when they are entitled to overtime wages. Here is what you should know:
How much do you get paid if you work over 8 hours in a day?
If an employee in California works more than 8 hours in a day, but less than 12, they may be entitled to one and one half their typical pay rate. In other words, if an employee makes $20 an hour, they can expect to earn an additional $10 for every overtime hour. An employee may also receive one and one half their typical rate of pay if they exceed 8 hours on the seventh consecutive day in a workweek or an excess of 40 hours in a workweek.
How much do you get paid if you work over 12 hours in a day?
Every hour exceeding the first 12 hours is paid at double an employee’s regular pay rate. What this means is that an employee who typically makes $20 an hour can earn an additional $20 of overtime pay for every hour worked past the first 12 hours. Employees can also expect to earn double their regular rate of pay if they exceed the first 8 hours on the seventh consecutive day of work.
What if you are not paid for your overtime work?
There may be a couple of reasons why a California employee may not receive overtime pay. First, an employee may not earn overtime if they are considered exempt, such as contractors, executives, administrators and professional employees.
The second reason an employee may not receive overtime is if they are a victim of wage theft. Employees entitled to overtime pay may need to learn about their legal options if they believe they are suffering wage theft.