Shift pay calculator: penalty rates and overtime
Updated 2026-10-24
Work out what a week of shifts should pay before payday. Pick your country, enter your hours, and check the multipliers against your award or state.
| Hours type | Hours | Multiplier |
|---|---|---|
| Weekday ordinary | ||
| Weekday evening (after 6pm) | ||
| Saturday | ||
| Sunday | ||
| Public holiday | ||
| Overtime, first 3 hours | ||
| Overtime, after 3 hours |
| Day | Hours worked |
|---|---|
| Mon | |
| Tue | |
| Wed | |
| Thu | |
| Fri | |
| Sat | |
| Sun |
Before tax. Estimates only: your award, enterprise agreement, contract or state law decides what you're actually owed. Australians can check with the Fair Work Pay Calculator; US workers with the Department of Labor.
How penalty rates are calculated
Each hour is paid at base rate × multiplier. Under the General Retail Industry Award, for example, a full-time or part-time employee earning $28.00/hr gets $35.00 for a Saturday hour (125%), $42.00 for a Sunday hour (150%) and $63.00 for a public holiday hour (225%). Casual multipliers differ, and some awards fold the casual loading into the weekend rate. See penalty rates in Australia explained.
How US overtime is calculated
Federal rule: hours over 40 in a fixed workweek are paid at 1.5× the regular rate. Daily hours don't matter. California: hours over 8 in a day are 1.5×, over 12 in a day are 2×, and any weekly hours over 40 that weren't already daily overtime are 1.5×. Hours are never paid as overtime twice. See the US overtime guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is this calculator exact for my award?
It uses the multipliers you enter. The defaults are typical General Retail Industry Award rates for full-time and part-time staff. Check your own award or agreement with the Fair Work Pay Calculator (PACT) and adjust the multipliers.
How does California overtime differ from federal?
Federal FLSA rules pay 1.5× only after 40 hours in a workweek. California also pays 1.5× after 8 hours in a day, 2× after 12 hours in a day, and 1.5× for the first 8 hours on the seventh consecutive day worked (2× beyond 8). The seventh-day rule is not modelled here.