Employment Law
Overtime Back Pay Calculator
Calculate unpaid overtime wages owed to you under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), including potential liquidated damages.
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April 2026
Overtime Back Pay Calculator
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How is Overtime Back Pay Calculated?
If you worked more than 40 hours in a single workweek and were not paid time-and-a-half (1.5x) for those extra hours, your employer may owe you back pay under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
The FLSA Overtime Formula
- Standard Time: First 40 hours = Regular Hourly Rate
- Overtime Time: Any hour over 40 = Regular Hourly Rate × 1.5
The "Double Damages" Rule
A unique feature of federal overtime law is the provision for Liquidated Damages. Unless the employer can prove their mistake was in absolute good faith, the court will award you double your unpaid wages. This calculator shows your total potential claim including these damages.
Frequently Asked Questions
Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), covered nonexempt employees must receive overtime pay for hours worked over 40 per workweek at a rate not less than one and one-half times (1.5x) the regular rate of pay.
Under the FLSA, if your employer willfully failed to pay your overtime, you can often recover "liquidated damages," which effectively doubles your back pay award (you get your unpaid wages plus an equal amount in damages).
It depends. Simply being paid a salary does not automatically exempt you from overtime. You must also perform specific executive, administrative, or professional duties to be considered "exempt." Many salaried misclassifications lead to large back pay lawsuits.
The FLSA has a two-year statute of limitations for unpaid overtime recovery. However, this is extended to three years if the employer's violation was "willful." Some state laws allow you to go back even further (e.g., California is up to four years).