How is a California split-shift premium calculated?

The model compares wages paid for the day with the minimum-wage floor for hours worked plus one additional hour at the California minimum wage. Only the shortfall is shown as the split-shift premium.

How much reporting-time pay is due in California?

The general reporting-time model pays one-half of the scheduled shift, with a two-hour minimum and four-hour maximum. A second required report in the same day is modeled at two hours.

StateAll California tools

California schedule premiums

California Split-Shift and Reporting-Time Pay Calculator

Estimate two common California schedule-based wage items: split-shift premium pay and reporting-time pay when an employee reports but receives little or no work.

Scope: This calculator models the general DLSE rules only. It does not determine exceptions, whether a break between shifts was a bona fide unpaid off-duty period, whether the employee was furnished at least half the usual or scheduled day’s work, or whether an emergency exception applies.

California statewide minimum wage used for split-shift floor

$16.90/hour

Effective 2026-01-01 · source

Enter schedule facts

Split-shift premium

The California registry stores a split-shift premium of 1 hour at the minimum wage, sourced to DLSE split-shift guidance. The calculator uses the minimum-wage floor method: compare wages paid for the day with minimum wage for all hours worked plus one additional minimum-wage hour. If wages already exceed that floor, the estimated split-shift premium is zero.

Split-shift formula

minimum floor = minimum wage × (hours worked + 1) wages paid = hourly rate × hours worked split-shift premium = max(0, minimum floor − wages paid)

Reporting-time pay

The verified reporting-time data says the general first-report rule is one-half of the scheduled shift, with a 2-hour minimum and 4-hour maximum. The second-report rule is 2 hours. Source: DLSE Reporting Time Pay FAQ.

What this estimate does not determine

Whether the employee actually had a split shift rather than two separate workdays or an ordinary meal period.
Whether the employee was furnished at least half of the usual or scheduled day’s work.
Whether threats to property, public utilities, civil authorities, acts of God, or other recognized exceptions apply.
How controlled standby, on-call time, callback time, show-up pay policies, or a collective-bargaining agreement affects the result.
Overtime, meal/rest premiums, final-pay penalties, wage-statement penalties, interest, or other remedies.

Worked examples

Split shift at minimum wage

minimum wage = $16.90 hours worked = 4 wages paid = $67.60 minimum floor = $16.90 × 5 = $84.50 split-shift premium = $16.90

Eight-hour scheduled shift, sent home after one hour

scheduled = 8 hours half scheduled = 4 hours floor/cap range = 2 to 4 hours reporting-time hours = 4

Sources and verification

Rules and the minimum-wage value are read from the site data registry. Automated tests cover minimum-wage split-shift math, absorption by higher wages, reporting-time floor, cap, half-scheduled calculation, second-report pay, and visible result rendering.