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Overtime is the amount of time someone works beyond normal
working hours Working(laboring) time is the period of time that a person spends at paid labor. Unpaid labor such as personal housework or caring for children or pets is not considered part of the working week. Many countries regulate the work week by law, s ...
. The term is also used for the pay received for this time. Normal hours may be determined in several ways: *by custom (what is considered healthy or reasonable by society), *by practices of a given trade or profession, *by legislation, *by agreement between employers and workers or their representatives. Most national countries have overtime labour laws designed to dissuade or prevent employers from forcing their employees to work excessively long hours (such as the situation in the textile mills in the 1920s). These laws may take into account other considerations than humanitarian concerns, such as preserving the health of workers so that they may continue to be productive, or increasing the overall level of employment in the economy. One common approach to regulating overtime is to require employers to pay workers at a higher hourly rate for overtime work. Companies may choose to pay workers higher overtime pay even if not obliged to do so by law, particularly if they believe that they face a
backward bending supply curve of labour In economics, a backward-bending supply curve of labour, or backward-bending labour supply curve, is a graphical device showing a situation in which as real (inflation-corrected) wages increase beyond a certain level, people will substitute time ...
. Overtime pay rates can cause workers to work longer hours than they would at a flat hourly rate. Overtime laws, attitudes toward overtime and hours of work vary greatly from country to country and between various sectors.


Time off in lieu

''Time off in lieu'' (TOIL), ''compensatory time'', or ''comp time'' is a type of work schedule arrangement that allows (or requires) workers to take time off instead of, or in addition to, receiving overtime pay. A worker may receive overtime pay plus equal time off for each hour worked on certain agreed days, such as public holidays. In the United States, such arrangements are currently legal in the public sector but not in the private sector. For example, non-exempt workers must receive at least one and one half times their normal hourly wage for every hour worked beyond 40 hours in a work week. For example, workers who clock 48 hours in one week would receive the pay equivalent to 52 hours of work (40 hours + 8 hours at 1.5 times the normal hourly wage). With comp time, the worker could (or would have to) forgo the 12 hours of overtime pay and instead take 8 paid hours off at some future date. In some other jurisdictions, such as Canada, employers might be required to pay the overtime at the higher rate (e.g. 1.5 times the normal rate), but also be allowed to require time off in lieu at the normal rate. Thus, an employee might work 48 hours in one week, and 32 hours the next week (assuming over 40 hours is overtime), and be paid an extra amount equivalent to 4 hours work (8 multiplied by 0.5). In Australia, such arrangements both in the private and public sector are common. In some cases, particularly when employees are represented by a
labour union A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits (su ...
, overtime may be paid at a higher rate than 1.5 times the hourly pay. In some factories, for example, if workers are required to work on a Sunday, they may be paid twice their regular rate (i.e., "double time").


Overtime laws by jurisdiction


European Union

Directives issued by the
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been de ...
must be incorporated into law by member states. Directives 93/104/EC (1993), 2000/34/EC (2000), which limited working hours, were consolidated into 2003/88/EC (2003). Employers and employees can agree to opt out, under certain circumstances. The directives require: * maximum average working week (including overtime) of 48 hours over a 17-week reference period * minimum daily rest period of 11 consecutive hours in every 24 * breaks when the working day exceeds 6 hours * minimum weekly rest period of 24 hours plus the 11 hours daily rest period in every 7-day period * minimum of 4 weeks paid annual leave * night work restricted to an average of 8 hours in any 24-hour period The directives apply to: *all sectors of activity, both public and private *Doctors in training used to work a maximum week of 58 hours until 2009. From 1 August 2009 their maximum working week fell to 48 hours. Exemptions: * Member States of the EC may exempt: managing executives or other persons with autonomous decision-making power; family workers; and workers officiating at religious ceremonies. These are workers whose working time is not measured or pre-determined or can be determined by the workers. * Other categories can be exempted from the directive's key provisions provided compensatory rest or appropriate protection is granted. These include employees who work a long way from home, or whose activities require a permanent presence or continuity of service or production, or who work in sectors which have peaks of activity. Examples include off-shore workers, security guards, journalists, emergency workers, agricultural workers, tour guides, etc.


Japan

In Japan the of 1947 provides for an eight-hour work day and 40-hour workweek with at least one day off per week. The act requires a premium of at least 25% over the ordinary hourly wage for any overtime work, 35% for any work on prescribed off days, and an additional 25% for any work between 10 pm and 5 am. Employers must enter into an overtime agreement with a labour representative prior to any overtime work by employees, and this agreement must stipulate to the maximum number of overtime hours that an employee may work, which may be no more than 15 hours per week, 45 hours per month and 360 hours per year.


United States


Federal overtime law

In the United States the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 applies to employees in industries engaged in or producing goods for interstate commerce. The FLSA establishes a standard
work week The weekdays and weekend are the complementary parts of the week devoted to labour and rest, respectively. The legal weekdays (British English), or workweek (American English), is the part of the seven-day week devoted to working. In most of t ...
of 40 hours for certain kinds of workers, and mandates payment for overtime hours to those workers of one and one-half times the workers' normal rate of pay for any time worked above 40 hours. The law creates two broad categories of employees, * those who are "exempt" from the regulation and * those who are "non-exempt". Employers are not required to pay exempt employees overtime but must do so for non-exempt employees.


=Law Enforcement Availability Pay

= Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP) is a type of premium pay that is paid to federal law enforcement officers who are classified as GS-1811 or FP-2501, criminal investigator or special agent. Due to the nature of their work, criminal investigators are required to work, or be available to work, substantial amounts of "unscheduled duty." Availability pay is generally an
entitlement An entitlement is a provision made in accordance with a legal framework of a society. Typically, entitlements are based on concepts of principle ("rights") which are themselves based in concepts of social equality or enfranchisement. In psycholo ...
that an agency must provide if the required conditions are met, but is optional in any agency's
Office of the Inspector General In the United States, Office of Inspector General (OIG) is a generic term for the oversight division of a federal or state agency aimed at preventing inefficient or unlawful operations within their parent agency. Such offices are attached to ma ...
that may employ fewer than five criminal investigators. The following agencies are covered under LEAP: *
Air Force Office of Special Investigations The Department of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI) is a U.S. federal law enforcement agency that reports directly to the Secretary of the Air Force. OSI is also a U.S. Air Force field operating agency under the administrative ...
(AFOSI) * Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) * Customs and Border Protection (CBP) *
Defense Criminal Investigative Service The Defense Criminal Investigative Service is the criminal investigative arm of the Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Defense. DCIS protects military personnel by investigating cases of fraud, bribery, and corruption; preventing the ...
(DCIS) * Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG) *
Drug Enforcement Administration The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA; ) is a United States federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Justice tasked with combating drug trafficking and distribution within the U.S. It is the lead agency for domestic en ...
(DEA) *
Diplomatic Security Service The Diplomatic Security Service (DSS or DS) is a security and law enforcement agency that acts as the operational division of the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, which is a branch of the United States Department of State. Its primary mission is ...
(DSS) *
Federal Bureau of Investigation The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. Operating under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Justice, ...
(FBI) * Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS) *
General Services Administration, Office of Inspector General A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED O ...
(GSA-OIG) *
Homeland Security Investigations The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is a federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. ICE's stated mission is to protect the United States from the cross-border crime and illegal immigration tha ...
, part of
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is a federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. ICE's stated mission is to protect the United States from the cross-border crime and illegal immigration tha ...
(ICE-HSI) *
IRS Criminal Investigation Division Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) is the United States federal law enforcement agency responsible for investigating potential criminal violations of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code and related financial crimes, such as mone ...
(IRS-CI) *
Naval Criminal Investigative Service The United States Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) is the primary law enforcement agency of the U.S. Department of the Navy. Its primary function is to investigate criminal activities involving the Navy and Marine Corps, though its ...
(NCIS) *
United States Marshals Service The United States Marshals Service (USMS) is a federal law enforcement agency in the United States. The USMS is a bureau within the U.S. Department of Justice, operating under the direction of the Attorney General, but serves as the enforc ...
(USMS) *
United States Postal Inspection Service The United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), or the Postal Inspectors, is the law enforcement arm of the United States Postal Service. It supports and protects the U.S. Postal Service, its employees, infrastructure, and customers by enf ...
(USPIS) *
United States Secret Service The United States Secret Service (USSS or Secret Service) is a federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Homeland Security charged with conducting criminal investigations and protecting U.S. political leaders, their families, and ...
(USSS)


Exempt

Independent contractors Employment is a relationship between two parties regulating the provision of paid labour services. Usually based on a contract, one party, the employer, which might be a corporation, a not-for-profit organization, a co-operative, or any oth ...
are not considered employees and therefore are not protected by the FLSA. Several factors determine whether a worker is an employee, who might be entitled to overtime compensation, or an independent contractor, who would not be so entitled. The employment agreement stating that a party is an independent contractor does not make it necessarily so. The nature of a job determines whether an employee is entitled to overtime pay, not employment status or the field of work. Classes of workers who are exempt from the regulation include certain types of administrative, professional, and executive employees. To qualify as an administrative, professional, or executive employee and therefore not be entitled to overtime, three tests must be passed based on salary basis, duties, and salary level. There are many other classes of workers who may be exempt including outside salespeople, certain agricultural employees, certain live-in employees, and certain transportation employees. Employees can neither waive their FLSA protections nor abridge them by contract.


Protections

An employer may not retaliate against an employee for filing a complaint or instituting a proceeding based on the FLSA. An employer that engages in any form of verifiable retaliation would be liable under th
Fair Labor Standards Act Section 216(b)
for equitable relief including reinstatement, promotion, payment of lost wages, and payment of liquidated damages. Acts of retaliation include terminating employment, disrupting the workplace, threats, acts of physical violence, and constructive discharge.


Statistics

Out of approximately 120 million American workers, nearly 50 million are exempt from overtime laws (US Department of Labor,
Wage and Hour Division The Wage and Hour Division (WHD) of the United States Department of Labor is the federal office responsible for enforcing federal labor laws. The Division was formed with the enactment of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. The Wage and Hour m ...
, 1998). As of 2021, salaried workers making $684 per week or more are exempt from overtime pay (equivalent to $35,568 per year). In 2004, the United States was 7th out of 24
OECD The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD; french: Organisation de coopération et de développement économiques, ''OCDE'') is an intergovernmental organisation with 38 member countries, founded in 1961 to stimulate e ...
countries in terms of annual working hours per worker. (See
Working time Working(laboring) time is the period of time that a person spends at paid labor. Unpaid labor such as personal housework or caring for children or pets is not considered part of the working week. Many countries regulate the work week by law, ...
for a complete listing.) On August 23, 2004, President
George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
and the
Department of Labor The Ministry of Labour ('' UK''), or Labor ('' US''), also known as the Department of Labour, or Labor, is a government department responsible for setting labour standards, labour dispute mechanisms, employment, workforce participation, training, a ...
proposed changes to regulations governing implementation of the law. According to one study, the changes would have had significant impact on the number of workers covered by overtime laws and have exempted several million additional workers. The Bush administration maintained that the practical impact on working Americans would be minimal and that the changes would help clarify an outdated regulation. In particular, the new rules would have allowed more companies to offer
flextime Flextime (also spelled flexitime ( BE) or flex-time) is a flexible hours schedule that allows workers to alter their workday and decide/adjust their start and finish times. In contrast to traditional work arrangements that require employees to w ...
to their workers instead of overtime. The definition of ''exempt employees'' (ineligible for overtime) is regularly tested in the courts. A recent case is Encino Motorcars v. Navarro, which addresses the question of whether automobile dealer service advisors are eligible for overtime. A company may harm themselves by docking a salaried employee for disciplinary reasons. ::"Once pay is reduced using an hourly calculation, ... the employee is considered nonexempt, and so is every other worker in that job group."
Uber Uber Technologies, Inc. (Uber), based in San Francisco, provides mobility as a service, ride-hailing (allowing users to book a car and driver to transport them in a way similar to a taxi), food delivery (Uber Eats and Postmates), packa ...
is an example of a company that, in various jurisdictions, has been subject to litigation regarding exemptions. The New York Times noted in 2017 that "Despite their appeal, the apps have faced a wave of criticism, including concerns over wheelchair accessibility and driver pay."


California overtime law

The state of
California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
's overtime laws differ from federal overtime laws in many respects, and they involve overlapping statutes, regulations, and
precedents A precedent is a principle or rule established in a previous legal case that is either binding on or persuasive for a court or other tribunal when deciding subsequent cases with similar issues or facts. Common-law legal systems place great valu ...
that govern the compensation of employees in California. * Governing federal law is th
Fair Labor Standards Act
(29 USC 201–219) * California overtime law is codified in provisions of: :*th
California Labor Code
and in

of the
Industrial Welfare Commission The Industrial Welfare Commission (IWC) was established in 1913 to regulate wages, hours and working conditions in California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million re ...
California employers must comply with both, since there are two sources of applicable law (federal and state). In California, based o
California Labor Code 1171
only a
employment relationship
is required for overtime rules to apply. Under the Californi

an "employer" is "any person ... who directly or indirectly, or through an agent or any other person, employs or exercises control over wages, hours, or working conditions of any person." Under th
California Labor Code
an
employee
is " nyperson, including aliens and minors, rendering actual service in any business for an employer, whether gratuitously or for wages or pay, whether the wages or pay are measured by the standard of time, piece, task, commission, or other method of calculation, and whether the service is rendered on a commission, concessionaire, or other basis."


California: who is covered

Independent contractors are not employees covered by overtime laws and so it is important to determine if a worker is an independent contractor or an employee. Foremost, pursuant to California Labor Code Section 510, non-exempt employees must be compensated at one and a half times the regular rate of pay for all hours worked in excess of eight hours in a workday, 40 hours in a workweek and the first eight hours of a seventh consecutive workday. Employees in California are entitled to double-time for working more than twelve hour workdays or more than eight hours on the seventh consecutive workday of a single workweek. Under federal law there are only 40 hour weekly overtime limits. The eight-hour overtime limit in California frequently gives rise to wage-and-hour litigation for violations of state (but not federal) labour laws. For example, "comp time" schemes in which employers tell employees that since they worked 10 hours on Monday they can work 6 hours on Tuesday are illegal because even though employees are not working more than 40 hours for the purposes of overtime compensation under federal law, they are working more than 8 hours for purposes of California overtime law, and rounding the 6- and 10-hour workdays to two 8-hour workdays would cheat the employee out of two hours of overtime pay. Perhaps the biggest difference between California and federal overtime law relates to th
administrative exemption's
"primarily engaged" in duties that meet the test for the exemption requirement, such as duties that involve exercising independent discretion and judgment as set forth in the controversia

Under the Fair Labor Standards Act "primarily engaged" does not necessarily mean at least half, but California wage-and-hour laws, working less than half of exempt duties automatically eliminates the overtime exemption.


See also

*
Eight-hour day The eight-hour day movement (also known as the 40-hour week movement or the short-time movement) was a social movement to regulate the length of a working day, preventing excesses and abuses. An eight-hour work day has its origins in the ...
* Fair Labor Standards Act *
Flextime Flextime (also spelled flexitime ( BE) or flex-time) is a flexible hours schedule that allows workers to alter their workday and decide/adjust their start and finish times. In contrast to traditional work arrangements that require employees to w ...
* Retroactive overtime * Work-life balance * Effects of overtime *
Shturmovshchina Shturmovshchina ( rus, штурмовщина, p=ʂtʊrmɐfˈɕːinə, ''last-minute rush'', ''storming'') was a common Soviet work practice of frantic and overtime work at the end of a planning period in order to fulfill the planned production t ...


References


Further reading

*US Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, ''Minimum Wage and Overtime Hours Under the Fair Labor Standards Act: 1998 Report to the Congress Required by Section 4(d)(1) of the Fair Labor Standards Act'', tab. 2 at 14 (1998).


External links


Questions and Answers about working time (European Union)



2004 changes in overtime regulations
via aflcio.org
The Economic Policy Institute
(epinet.org) *
Analysis of 2004 change in overtime regulations
via epinet.org
Study Finds Many Day Laborers Exploited

Supreme Court Clarifies Wage and Hour Law

Text of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) – 29 US Code Chapter 8
* Hanuaer, Nick
"The Death of Overtime"
{{Authority control Labor rights Labor relations Labor history Labour law Wages and salaries Working time