Double time means you get paid twice your regular hourly rate. If you earn $25/hour normally, double time is $50/hour. Federal law doesn't require double time anywhere — but California state law does, and many union contracts include it for specific situations. Here's when you legally qualify and when it's just employer policy.
Double time = Regular hourly rate × 2.0
The federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does not require double time anywhere. The maximum federal requirement is time-and-a-half (1.5×) for hours over 40/week.
However, several state and local laws require double time in specific situations:
California is the only US state that mandates double time as a matter of general state law. Non-exempt employees get 2× regular rate when working:
Union contracts (Collective Bargaining Agreements) commonly require double time in these situations:
| Industry / union | Common double-time triggers |
|---|---|
| Construction (various trades) | Sundays, holidays, after certain hours/day |
| Healthcare nurses | Mandatory overtime past contract limits |
| Movie/TV production (IATSE) | After 12 hours on set, 6th and 7th workday |
| Stagehands | "Golden time" after specified hours |
| Pilots | Various premium rates per contract |
Maria is a California restaurant worker earning $18/hour. She had to cover a shift gap and worked 14 hours straight.
Compare to straight time: 14 × $18 = $252. California overtime law added $72 to her daily pay — about a 29% premium.
This is one of the most overlooked aspects of California labor law. If you work 7 days in a row without a day off:
Even if you only worked 4 hours on each of the previous 6 days (24 hours total), working an 8-hour shift on day 7 gives you 1.5× pay for those 8 hours, not straight time.
Even without legal mandate, many employers voluntarily offer double time:
These are policy benefits, not legal requirements. Your employee handbook is the authoritative source.
If you have bonuses or commissions, your "regular rate" for double-time purposes uses the same FLSA regular-rate math as time-and-a-half. See our overtime calculation guide for the full formula.
Example: A $25/hour employee earned a $200 weekly attendance bonus and worked 50 hours.
| Situation | Federal (FLSA) | California |
|---|---|---|
| 9th hour in a day | Straight time* | Time-and-a-half |
| 41st hour in a week | Time-and-a-half | Time-and-a-half (or DT if 7th day) |
| 13th hour in a day | Time-and-a-half (if over 40/wk) | Double time |
| First 8 hrs on 7th workday | Straight time* | Time-and-a-half |
| Hours over 8 on 7th workday | Time-and-a-half (if over 40/wk) | Double time |
*Unless cumulative weekly hours exceed 40, in which case time-and-a-half applies.
The Hours Calculator has a built-in OT scheme dropdown. Choose "Both daily AND weekly OT" and enter the California thresholds (8/day, 40/week, 12/day for double-time). The result panel will show separate lines for regular, overtime, and double-time pay.
Published May 2026. Spot an error? Email contactus@calculatehours.net.