Double Overtime — Absolutely Everything You Need to Know

Double Overtime is relevant to your company if any of the following applies,

• You’re a California, US-based company
• You’re a British Columbia, Canada based company
• You have employees who work in either of the above locations

If none of the above applies to your business, you don’t have to worry about double overtime. You only need to adhere to the regular overtime requirements that apply to your state or province.

Overtime pay, 1.5 times the employee’s regular hourly rate, is the mandatory rate increase applied to employees’ pay if they work more than the legal maximum workweek or workday hours. In both the United States and Canada, overtime pay is the employer’s responsibility.

Canadian companies can check out When Do I Need to Pay Overtime in Canada? and Mandatory Overtime and Payroll

Here’s what you need to know about Double Overtime

In some very special circumstances, the overtime rate will increase from 1.5 times to 2 times the employee’s regular hourly rate.

In California, double pay is required for any hours worked over 12 in a day or for hours worked over 8 on any 7th day of a workweek.

In British Columbia, double pay is required for any hours worked over 12 in a day.

Only the hours worked past the thresholds listed above need to be paid with the double-overtime rate. Any hours worked before reaching those marks are included under regular overtime requirements.

All overtime rules apply to the location that the work was completed in, not the location of your company. For example, if your company is based in Ohio, but you have an employee that works over twelve hours a day in California, you will need to pay double overtime according to the rules and regulations of California.

That’s absolutely everything you need to know about double overtime!

Disclaimer: The advice we share on our blog is intended to be informational. It does not replace the expertise of accredited business professionals. 

Written by Jordan Nottrodt

Jordan comes from a background of agency communications and strategic problem solving. She is passionate about inbound marketing and believes that the best content comes from knowing your audience and giving them exactly what they want. Working remotely for Wagepoint, she was able to pursue her other passion of travelling the world one city at a time. Spark an immediate and detailed conversation with Jordan by mentioning Mad Men or Game of Thrones.

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