Overtime calculator
Two overtime laws can apply to a Minnesota paycheck: the federal rule starts time and a half after 40 hours in a week, and the Minnesota rule starts it after 48. This calculator shows both, tells you which one likely controls, and puts a dollar figure on the difference. Everything runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent to us or stored.
Overtime is computed one workweek at a time; averaging across weeks is not allowed.
Frequently asked questions
- When does overtime start in Minnesota?
- Two rules can apply. The federal Fair Labor Standards Act requires time and a half after 40 hours in a workweek for most employees. The Minnesota Fair Labor Standards Act (Minnesota Statutes section 177.25) requires time and a half after 48 hours. When both laws cover you, the stricter 40-hour federal rule controls. Most Minnesota employers are covered by the federal law.
- I am paid a salary. Can I still be owed overtime?
- Often, yes. A salary alone does not make you exempt from overtime. Exemption depends on what you actually do (executive, administrative, professional, and certain other duties tests) plus minimum salary thresholds. Calling a job salaried or giving it a manager title does not, by itself, erase overtime rights.
- Can my employer average my hours over two weeks?
- No. Overtime is computed one workweek at a time. Working 50 hours one week and 30 the next is not the same as two 40-hour weeks; the 50-hour week carries overtime on its own.
- How far back can unpaid overtime be claimed?
- In general, a claim for unpaid wages in Minnesota reaches back two years, or three years if the violation was willful (Minnesota Statutes section 541.07(5)). The clock runs continuously, so waiting costs real money.