What is double time pay?
Double time (2×) pay is twice an employee's regular hourly rate. Unlike standard time-and-a-half overtime, double time is required by law in only specific situations — most notably under California labor law.
When is double time required?
California
California requires double time pay in these situations:
- After 12 hours in a single workday — any hours beyond 12 in one day must be paid at 2×
- After 8 hours on the 7th consecutive workday — when an employee works seven days in a row, the first 8 hours on day 7 are paid at 1.5×, and any hours after that are 2×
Federal FLSA
Federal law does NOT require double time. The FLSA only mandates 1.5× for hours over 40 per week.
Voluntary double time
Many employers voluntarily offer double time as a recruitment incentive — particularly for holidays, weekends, or undesirable shifts. This is contractual, not legally required.
How to calculate double time
Double Time Pay = Hours × (Regular Rate × 2)
Example: At $25/hr working 14 hours in California:
- First 8 hrs: 8 × $25 = $200 (regular)
- Hours 9–12: 4 × $37.50 = $150 (1.5× OT)
- Hours 13–14: 2 × $50 = $100 (2× double time)
- Total: $450
Common double time scenarios
- Long shifts in California (over 12 hours)
- Holiday work in some union contracts
- Sunday work in some collective bargaining agreements
- Mandatory overtime in some healthcare contracts