What this calculates
- Exact OT pay. Regular earnings plus true overtime, differentials included in the base rate per FLSA.
- 8/80 vs. 40-hour. Side-by-side comparison so you know which method favors you — and can verify your employer is using it.
- Annual projections. Weekly, biweekly, monthly, and yearly take-home at your current schedule.
Why nurses get cheated on overtime — and how to spot it.
The single most common FLSA violation in U.S. hospitals is excluding shift differentials from the overtime regular rate. Federal law (29 U.S.C. §207, 29 CFR §778) is unambiguous: your "regular rate" includes all remuneration for employment except a narrow list of statutory exclusions (gifts, vacation pay, certain bonuses). Night differentials, weekend premiums, charge pay, and lead pay are all part of the regular rate. If your employer pays you $38/hr base + $4/hr night differential, your overtime rate is $63/hr (1.5 × $42), not $57/hr (1.5 × $38). Hospitals that miscalculate this — including very large systems — can owe years of back wages plus liquidated damages.
The hospital-specific 8/80 rule (FLSA §207(j)) lets healthcare employers use a 14-day pay period instead of a 7-day workweek, with overtime due after 8 hours in a single day OR 80 hours in the period. The catch: this is an exemption, not a default — it requires a written agreement between you and your employer. If there's no signed agreement on file, your employer must use the standard 40-hour rule. Many nurses don't know this.
Travel nurses face a different wrinkle: agencies often quote a blended bill rate that combines taxable wages and stipends. Your overtime regular rate must be calculated on the blended taxable portion — and not always cleanly on stipends, which is a frequent source of miscalculation. If you're on a travel contract, ask your agency in writing how OT is computed and validate it against this calculator.
How to use this tool to verify your paycheck
Pull your last pay stub. Enter your base rate, hours per shift, shifts per week, and the differentials you actually receive. Pick the OT method your employer uses (8/80 or standard 40). The total gross this calculator produces should match — or exceed — what your employer paid. Any meaningful gap is worth a conversation with HR or the DOL Wage and Hour Division.
For a more comprehensive picture of off-hours pay, pair this with the Shift Differential Calculator (annual value of differentials) and the Salary Negotiation Script (how to use these numbers to ask for a base bump).
Overtime questions, answered.
What is the 8/80 rule and how is it different from standard OT?
The 8/80 rule (FLSA §207(j)) is a hospital-specific exemption allowing employers to use a 14-day period instead of a 7-day week. Overtime triggers after 8 hours in a single day OR 80 hours in the 14-day period — whichever produces more OT pay for the employee. Standard FLSA requires OT after 40 hours in any 7-day workweek. For a 3×12 schedule, the two methods often produce identical results; for 4×12 or irregular schedules, the difference can be significant.
Why does my night differential change my OT rate?
Under FLSA, your "regular rate" for overtime purposes includes all remuneration for employment — including shift differentials. If your base is $38/hr and your night differential is $4/hr, your regular rate is $42/hr. Your overtime rate is $63/hr (1.5 × $42), not $57/hr (1.5 × $38). Employers who calculate OT on base pay alone and then add the differential on top are underpaying you — a common and often-unreported FLSA violation.
Can my hospital force me to take comp time instead of OT pay?
No. Private sector employers — including private hospitals — cannot substitute comp time for overtime pay. FLSA requires cash payment at 1.5× your regular rate for all OT hours worked. Only certain public-sector employers (state and local governments) are permitted to offer comp time in lieu of overtime pay.
Does pre-shift or post-shift charting count toward overtime?
Yes — if you're required to be at work and actively engaged in work duties (charting, handoff, completing required documentation), that time counts as hours worked under FLSA. Employers who instruct nurses to clock out before finishing documentation are creating wage liability.
Are travel nurses entitled to overtime on top of their stipends?
Travel nurses on a blended-rate contract are entitled to OT on their "regular rate of pay," which the DOL requires be calculated on a blended rate of all compensation — including taxable wages but generally not tax-free stipends. Your agency must use a blended OT rate if your contract combines base wages and taxable differentials.
Tools that complete the picture.
- Shift differential calculator Pay · Calculator
Model exactly how night, weekend, and holiday differentials stack across a full schedule — before and after taxes. - Travel nurse stipend calculator Pay · Travel
Break down your contract's taxable wages vs. tax-free stipends — and see real take-home on any assignment. - Salary negotiation script Career · Negotiation
Know your numbers, walk in with a script. Generate a word-for-word ask based on your specialty and market data.
Educational tool. Not legal advice. For specific FLSA disputes, consult your state DOL Wage and Hour Division or an employment attorney. Federal FLSA does not preempt more generous state overtime laws — California, for example, requires daily overtime after 8 hours regardless of weekly total.