- Glossary
- Time And A Half
Time And A Half
In accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act, non-exempt employees who work more than 40 hours a week are entitled to time and a half pay (FLSA). Because it is equal to the employee's hourly wage multiplied by 1.5 for each hour of overtime, it is known as time and a half pay.
Although time and a half compensation may seem simple, it can be difficult to calculate effectively and identify which employees are entitled to it due to the various FLSA exclusions and state-based laws' restrictions.
Who Qualifies For Time And A Half?
As a general rule, salaried employees who make more than $684 per week or $35,568 per year are free from the requirement of time and a half pay. This means that hourly workers who work conventional 40-hour workweeks in the typical front-line businesses (retail, hospitality, healthcare, etc.) are not exempt from overtime pay requirements and must be paid time and a half in that case.
How To Calculate Time And A Half?
Time and a Half Rate = Hourly Rate x 1.5
Let's say a worker makes $20 per hour and works 40 hours per week. Their time and a half compensation would be $20 multiplied by 1.5, or $30 per hour.
When Does Time And A Half Apply?
When an employee works more than 40 hours in a workweek, time and a half is charged.
Some states have legislation requiring time and a half for employees working more than 8 hours.
Working on a holiday isn't considered to be overtime. Bank holidays like Labor Day, Fourth of July, Easter, Memorial Day, New Year's Day, and Christmas are included in this.
Company policy must be distributed consistently and without bias regarding religious holidays.
Giving employees time off over holidays may encourage more cordial working relationships as well as a better work-life balance.
Exempt And Nonexempt Employees
Hence, how can you tell whether a worker is exempt or not? There are a few red flags to look out for based on FLSA regulations. Exemption from taxation or non exemption depends on the following variables:
- If the worker is salaried or hourly
- The wage that the employee is paid
- The obligations of the employee
Nonexempt workers are subject to FLSA regulations. Employees who are exempt from the FLSA are exempt.
The major distinction between exempt and nonexempt workers is that the former can receive overtime compensation while the latter cannot. See a breakdown of their differences below.
Exempt employees
Exemptions from the FLSA apply to workers who:
- Earning a minimum of $35,568 per year (or $684 per week),
- Receive a paycheck
- Possess responsibilities at work that are exempt
Exempt work functions include high-level responsibilities that directly affect the company's overall operations, such as executive, administrative, professional, or computer-based duties.
A worker is also excluded from overtime pay if they perform at least one executive, administrative, or professional job obligation and are paid an annual salary of $107,432 or more.
Employees who engage in outside sales are also required to take a test. An employee is exempt if their main responsibility is making sales. Also, the individual must routinely work outside of your company. For them to be exempt, there are no wage requirements that must be met.
Nonexempt employees
On the other hand, non exempt personnel:
- Not earning at least $35,568 every year
- Not paid a salary
- Have no exempt job responsibilities (e.g., administrative)
Any time an employee who is not exempt works more than 40 hours per week, you are required to pay them time and a half (1.5 times).
There is a widespread misperception that an employee who receives a salary is free from paying overtime. Salaried non exempt workers who are entitled to overtime pay are a possibility. Your state may have stricter overtime laws than the FLSA. Check with your state to learn about the overtime laws you need to follow.
