Rules Library
Every rule in plain words, with its citation, the official source, and the date we last checked it.
Not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Labor or any state agency. This page explains published rules. It is not legal advice. Exemption questions need a professional.
Federal
Federal overtime rules (FLSA)
Under federal law, a non-exempt employee earns overtime after 40 hours in a workweek, at 1.5 times the regular rate. Federal law has no daily overtime; each workweek is counted on its own.
Federal time-clock rounding rules
Federal rules accept rounding punches to the nearest 5 minutes, tenth or quarter hour, only if it averages out over time. The well-known '7-minute rule' is a way of rounding to the nearest quarter hour; the regulation itself does not mention 7 minutes.
Federal meal and rest break rules
Federal law does not require meal or rest breaks. If an employer gives short breaks of about 5 to 20 minutes, they are paid work time; a bona fide meal period, ordinarily 30 minutes or more, is not.
California
California overtime rules
California pays overtime by the day as well as by the week: 1.5 times after 8 hours in a workday and double time after 12. The seventh consecutive day of work in a workweek has its own rule.
California meal and rest break rules
California requires a 30-minute meal period for work periods over 5 hours and a paid 10-minute rest period for each 4 hours worked or major fraction. A missed meal or rest period costs one extra hour of pay for that workday.
Alaska
Nevada
Colorado
Puerto Rico
Where overtime is also counted by the day
| Jurisdiction | Rule |
|---|---|
| Alaska | Daily over 8, weekly over 40 |
| California | Daily over 8 (1.5×) and over 12 (2×), weekly over 40, seventh consecutive day |
| Colorado | Daily over 12, weekly over 40, over 12 consecutive hours |
| Nevada | Daily over 8 only when paid below 1.5× minimum wage; weekly over 40 |
| Puerto Rico | Daily over 8, weekly over 40, weekly rest day |
Per the U.S. DOL state table (updated November 5, 2026), these jurisdictions have a daily premium-pay threshold. Source: www.dol.gov. Last checked .
Status by state
Where it says calculated automatically, the HoursReady calculators apply that state's rules, except anything the row says is not calculated yet. Everywhere else they apply federal rules for now and say so on screen.
| Jurisdiction | In the calculators | Rules page |
|---|---|---|
| Federal | Calculated automatically | Read the rules |
| Alabama | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| Alaska | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Read the rules |
| Arizona | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| Arkansas | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| California | Overtime calculated automatically; meal and rest break premiums not calculated yet | Read the rules |
| Colorado | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Read the rules |
| Connecticut | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| Delaware | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| Florida | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| Georgia | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| Hawaii | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| Idaho | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| Illinois | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| Indiana | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| Iowa | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| Kansas | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| Kentucky | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| Louisiana | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| Maine | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| Maryland | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| Massachusetts | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| Michigan | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| Minnesota | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| Mississippi | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| Missouri | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| Montana | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| Nebraska | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| Nevada | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Read the rules |
| New Hampshire | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| New Jersey | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| New Mexico | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| New York | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| North Carolina | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| North Dakota | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| Ohio | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| Oklahoma | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| Oregon | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| Pennsylvania | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| Rhode Island | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| South Carolina | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| South Dakota | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| Tennessee | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| Texas | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| Utah | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| Vermont | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| Virginia | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| Washington | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| West Virginia | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| Wisconsin | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| Wyoming | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| District of Columbia | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| Puerto Rico | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Read the rules |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| Guam | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| American Samoa | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |
| Northern Mariana Islands | Federal rules for now; automatic calculation coming | Not yet |