A biweekly paycheck covers two weeks, but overtime is usually calculated separately for each workweek — not by adding both weeks together. That means 35 hours in week 1 and 45 hours in week 2 is not the same as simply working 80 total hours. Enter each week's hours below to see the real breakdown.
Week 1
Week 2
5 total overtime hours across the two weeks — calculated per workweek, not from the 80-hour combined total.
Example 1: 35 hours, then 45 hours
$20/hour. Week 1: 35 hours. Week 2: 45 hours.
Even though the total is 80 hours across two weeks, week 2 still has 5 overtime hours — because overtime is calculated by workweek, not by the two-week average.
Example 2: An even 40/40 split
$25/hour. Week 1: 40 hours. Week 2: 40 hours. Total: 80 hours.
Same 80-hour total as Example 1, but zero overtime — because this time neither individual week crossed 40 hours.
Example 3: A heavy week followed by a light one
$30/hour. Week 1: 48 hours. Week 2: 36 hours.
The lighter 36-hour second week does not cancel out or reduce the overtime already owed from the 48-hour first week — each week is evaluated on its own.
Is overtime calculated weekly or biweekly?
Weekly. Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), overtime is calculated per 7-day workweek, not by adding up the two weeks in a biweekly pay period. A biweekly paycheck is just two separate workweeks paid together on one check.
Can my employer average two weeks to avoid overtime?
No. "Averaging" hours across two workweeks to avoid paying overtime (e.g. paying straight time for 45 hours one week and 35 the next, treating it as an 80-hour average) is not permitted under the FLSA for non-exempt employees. Each workweek stands on its own.
What if I work 45 hours one week and 35 the next?
You're owed 5 overtime hours for the 45-hour week, regardless of the 35-hour week. The two weeks are not netted against each other — see Example 1 below.
Does biweekly pay mean overtime starts after 80 hours?
No. This is the single most common misunderstanding about biweekly overtime. Overtime starts after 40 hours in EACH individual workweek, not after 80 hours across the full pay period. You can work exactly 80 hours total and still be owed overtime, or work under 80 total and owe none — it depends entirely on how those hours split across the two weeks.
Does state law change the calculation?
It can. Most states use the same 40-hour weekly threshold as federal law, but a handful (California, Alaska, Colorado, and others) add daily-overtime or double-time rules on top of it. See the full calculator's state selector, or your state's page under Overtime Laws by State, for state-specific rules.
What is time and a half?
"Time and a half" means 1.5x your regular hourly rate — the standard overtime multiplier under federal law and most states. At $20/hour, time and a half is $30/hour.
Paycheck Overtime Calculator — full calculator with weekly, biweekly, and semi-monthly pay periods, plus estimated taxes and take-home pay.
Overtime laws by state — daily-overtime, double-time, and 7th-day rules for all 50 states + DC.
This is an estimate for general informational purposes only, not legal or payroll advice. Last reviewed: September 2026.