Nobody wants to spend their entire life working, and the 40-hour work week has been the norm for quite a while.
What happens, though, when a job runs over and everything can’t be done within those 40 hours? Employees who have to “work over” their usual 40 hours are rewarded for sacrificing their work-life balance via extra pay — or they are supposed to be.
How much should employees be paid for extra hours?
California non-exempt employees are entitled to overtime pay of one and one-half their typical wage for working more than 8 hours in a single workday, all hours exceeding 40 hours in a single workweek or for the first 8 hours on the seventh consecutive workday.
The amount of overtime pay is twice an employee’s typical wage for working over 12 hours in a single workday or over the 8th hour on the seventh consecutive day in a workweek.
Why if an employee does not receive their overtime pay?
When employees work later, they should be sure that they receive their overtime pay. Some employers may not pay their employees for overtime work. When this happens, an employee may need to discuss with their employer about their missing wages. In many cases, the missing pay will turn out to be an oversight that is quickly corrected — but some employers deliberately “short” their employees overtime to reduce costs. That makes it critical for employees who work over to track their own pay, so that they can lodge a dispute with an employer who isn’t playing by the rules
If an employer is withholding overtime pay, an employee may need to take legal action to collect their rightfully deserved wages.