Overtime Laws in District of Columbia
District of Columbia (DC) · Overtime laws · Last reviewed June 2026
Weekly overtime
1.5× after 40 hrs/week
Daily overtime
Not required
Double-time
Not state-mandated
The federal baseline (FLSA)
Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, non-exempt employees in District of Columbia must be paid at least one and a half times their regular rate for every hour worked beyond 40 in a single workweek. A workweek is any fixed, repeating block of seven consecutive days — your business picks the start day, but once chosen it has to stay consistent.
Overtime is calculated per workweek, not per pay period. So even on a bi-weekly payroll, you still total each of the two workweeks separately when figuring out who crossed 40 hours.
Does District of Columbia have daily overtime?
District of Columbia does not impose its own daily overtime rule. Overtime follows the federal standard: 1.5× after 40 hours in a workweek. There is no extra premium simply for working a long single day, unless an employment contract or union agreement says otherwise.
Who is exempt from overtime?
Overtime protections cover non-exempt employees. Workers correctly classified as exempt — typically salaried executive, administrative, and professional roles that meet both a salary threshold and a duties test — generally are not owed overtime. Misclassifying an employee as exempt is one of the most common and expensive wage-and-hour mistakes, so review the duties test, not just the job title.
Independent contractors are not employees and are not covered by overtime rules — but the test for contractor status is strict, and getting it wrong creates back-pay liability.
Official sources
More District of Columbia guides
Overtime laws in other states
District of Columbia overtime laws: frequently asked questions
Do you get overtime after 8 hours in District of Columbia?
No. District of Columbia follows the federal rule, so overtime applies after 40 hours in a workweek — not simply for a long single day.
How is overtime pay calculated in District of Columbia?
Overtime is 1.5× the regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek. Each workweek is totaled on its own, even on a bi-weekly payroll.
Who is exempt from overtime in District of Columbia?
Correctly classified salaried executive, administrative, and professional employees who meet the salary and duties tests are usually exempt. Job title alone doesn't make someone exempt.
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