Massachusetts overtime is generally time-and-a-half after 40 hours in a workweek, under MGL c.151 §1A. — Source
Minimum-wage data used for examples comes from the registry effective January 1, 2023.
Massachusetts wage and hour
Massachusetts Overtime Calculator
Enter daily hours and a straight-time hourly rate. The calculator applies the verified weekly threshold from the registry and adds only the extra overtime premium, so hours are not paid twice.
Who this rate applies to: Agricultural: $8.00/hr; Tipped: $6.75/hr direct wage
Source The headline rate may not apply to every worker. Massachusetts has worker- or employer-class exceptions in the registry. Use the hourly-rate field for the rate that applies to the worker and verify coverage before relying on the estimate.
Worked example
Weekly overtime calculation
A Massachusetts employee works 45 hours at $15.00/hr\nWeekly overtime hours = 45 − 40 = 5\nOvertime premium = 5 × regular rate × 0.50
What this does not determine
- Whether a worker is exempt from overtime under state or federal law.
- Whether an industry-specific threshold, agricultural rule, residential rule, collective-bargaining agreement, or public-contract rule changes the result.
- Whether tips, commissions, bonuses, shift differentials, or multiple hourly rates were included correctly in the regular rate.
- Whether local minimum-wage ordinances or special worker classes change the straight-time rate used in the calculator.
- Penalties, wage-claim deadlines, interest, attorneys' fees, or agency filing strategy.
Sources and verification
Massachusetts overtime data is read from src/data/states.json. The verified weekly threshold is 40 hours, the multiplier is 1.5×, and the source is the cited registry source. Values marked unverified in the registry render no calculator.
Common questions
Are restaurant workers in Massachusetts covered by the state overtime law?
No. MGL c.151 § 1A exempts restaurant workers from Massachusetts's state overtime law. However, restaurant workers are still covered by the federal FLSA — so they are owed overtime after 40 hours, but their remedy is federal rather than state. This matters because Massachusetts's AG enforcement and triple-damages remedy under MGL c.149 § 150 are state-law tools that restaurant workers cannot use for overtime.
Did Massachusetts eliminate the Sunday retail premium?
Yes. Effective January 1, 2023, Massachusetts eliminated the Sunday and holiday retail premium that required time-and-a-half pay for retail employees working on Sundays and designated holidays. That premium no longer applies. Rhode Island still has a comparable retail Sunday premium under § 28-12-4.3.
Where do I file an overtime complaint in Massachusetts?
The Massachusetts Attorney General's Office, Fair Labor Division (mass.gov/attorney-general) handles wage and overtime complaints. Massachusetts workers can also sue privately under MGL c.149 § 150, which provides for triple damages plus attorney's fees for knowing violations — a stronger remedy than the FLSA's liquidated damages (equal to unpaid wages).
Does Massachusetts have any daily overtime requirement?
No. MGL c.151 § 1A requires overtime only after 40 hours in a workweek. Massachusetts has no daily overtime trigger. A 12-hour Massachusetts shift earns straight time for all 12 hours unless the week's total exceeds 40.