Overtime pay calculator
What your overtime hours should pay given the uplift that applies.
Calculator inputs
Results
Enter your values and press “Calculate” to see the result.
In short
- What it calculates
- What your overtime hours should pay given the uplift that applies.
- Formula used
Overtime rate = hourly rate × (1 + uplift/100)- Example
- Normal rate of £12 with a 50% uplift and 10 overtime hours:
Overtime pay calculator
Overtime is paid with an uplift over the ordinary hourly rate, and the percentage depends on your contract and country. Enter yours to see exactly what you are owed.
How it works
The overtime rate is worked out by applying the uplift to the normal rate, then multiplied by the hours worked. The portion of the total that is pure uplift is shown separately.
Formula
Overtime rate = hourly rate × (1 + uplift/100)
Total = overtime rate × hours
Uplift = (overtime rate − hourly rate) × hours
Worked example
Normal rate of £12 with a 50% uplift and 10 overtime hours:
Overtime rate: £18
Total: £180
Of that total, £60 is the uplift alone.
Explanation
The premium depends on the agreement, not a universal rule
There is no single percentage. Many collective agreements set an uplift over the ordinary hourly rate, others distinguish between normal, night and holiday hours, and some simply require compensation with equivalent time off. Read yours first, because the figure passed around by word of mouth rarely matches the one that applies.
Time off in lieu is also an option
In many jurisdictions, employer and worker can agree to compensate overtime with free time rather than money, normally within a set period. When compensated with rest, those hours usually do not count towards the annual cap.
The annual cap is real
Most countries set a maximum number of overtime hours per year, with exceptions for force majeure. Exceeding it is not just a question of money: it is a labour infringement, and the working time record is the evidence.
Contributions and tax
Overtime often attracts different social security treatment from ordinary hours, and in some countries a specific tax treatment. That means the net amount is not proportional to the gross of a normal hour.
Frequently asked questions
What uplift is typical?
It depends on the contract: 25% or 50% (time and a half) is common on weekdays, rising to 75% or 100% on holidays and night shifts.
What if I get time off instead?
Then there is no payment, but the time off usually follows the same uplift: one overtime hour can be worth an hour and a half off.
How much is an overtime hour paid?
It depends on the applicable collective agreement. There is no universal percentage: some set an uplift, some the ordinary rate, some compensation in time off.
Do hours taken as time off count towards the annual cap?
In many jurisdictions they do not if compensated with free time within the set period. Check the applicable rule.
Need to calculate something else?
These tools are often used alongside this calculator.
Hourly rate
Turn your monthly salary into the real value of every hour you work.
Hours worked
Work out effective working time after breaks, night shifts included.
Annual salary
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Add hours
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Pay rise
What a raise really means, as a percentage and in money per year.
Freelance rate
The minimum rate to hit your income target while covering costs and non-billable hours.