Overtime in Rhode Island
In Rhode Island, overtime is 1.5 times your regular rate after 40 hours in a workweek, and most retail and many other private jobs pay 1.5 times for work on Sundays and holidays.
Rules checked against the US Department of Labor and official Rhode Island sources. Free and private: nothing you enter leaves your device.
Your pay this week, before tax
$1,025.00
You worked 47.5 hours in Rhode Island, including 7.5 hours of overtime. Overtime adds $75.00 on top of your straight-time pay.
| Pay | Hours | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular | 40 h | $20.00 | $800.00 |
| Overtime1.5 times your rate | 7.5 h | $30.00 | $225.00 |
| Total | 47.5 h | $1,025.00 |
47.5 hours worked. An estimate under federal and Rhode Island law, before taxes. Not legal advice.
Overtime rules in Rhode Island
- Weekly: 1.5 times your rate after 40 hours in a workweek.
- Retail: work on Sundays and holidays is paid at least 1.5 times, with at least 4 hours' pay, and must be voluntary. Bakeries and pharmacies are exempt.
- Other industry and commerce: Sunday and holiday work is paid at 1.5 times too. Restaurant, hotel, health care, farm, professional office, supervisor and call center jobs are not covered.
- Retail Sunday and holiday hours are paid at the premium and left out of the weekly overtime count, so they are never paid twice.
- The holidays are New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, July 4, Victory Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Rhode Island is the only state that still requires time and a half for ordinary Sunday work in retail. Massachusetts ended its version on January 1, 2023. Victory Day, in August, is a holiday only Rhode Island observes.
Overtime pay at common rates in Rhode Island
| Hourly rate | Overtime rate | 45-hour week | 50-hour week |
|---|---|---|---|
| $20 an hour | $30.00 | $950.00 | $1,100.00 |
| $25 an hour | $37.50 | $1,187.50 | $1,375.00 |
| $30 an hour | $45.00 | $1,425.00 | $1,650.00 |
How the calculator works
- Each shift's hours are its end time minus its start time, minus your unpaid break. A shift that ends after midnight counts on the day it started. If your employer's workday starts at another time, your result can differ a little.
- Daily overtime and double time come first, where your state has them, then any seventh-day or premium-day rule.
- Weekly overtime counts only the hours not already paid at a premium. So no hour is paid twice, and you always get the greater of daily or weekly overtime.
- With two rates or a bonus, overtime is based on your regular rate for the week: all your pay divided by all your hours, as federal rules require.
The result is pay before taxes. It is an estimate of what the law requires, not legal advice. A union contract or your employer's policy can pay more.
Who does not get overtime
- Most salaried office, management and professional jobs are exempt from overtime if they pay a salary of at least $684 a week ($35,568 a year) and the job duties meet the federal tests. Being paid a salary alone does not make you exempt.
- In 2024 the Department of Labor raised that salary level, but a federal court in Texas struck the rule down on November 15, 2024. On May 15, 2026 the Department formally put the $684 level back in its rules. The highly paid employee level is $107,432 a year.
- Some states set a higher salary level or stricter tests than federal law, so check your state's rules if you are on a salary.
- Other common exemptions include outside sales jobs, some computer jobs, many farm jobs, and some workers at seasonal amusement businesses. Independent contractors are not covered, but being called a contractor does not decide it.
- Hourly workers almost always get overtime, whatever their job title.
Common questions
When does overtime start in Rhode Island?
In Rhode Island, overtime is 1.5 times your regular rate after 40 hours in a workweek, and most retail and many other private jobs pay 1.5 times for work on Sundays and holidays.
Does Rhode Island have daily overtime?
No. Rhode Island only has weekly overtime, so a 10-hour day is paid at your regular rate unless your week goes over 40 hours.
How much is overtime on $20 an hour in Rhode Island?
$30.00 an hour, 1.5 times $20. A 45-hour week with 5 overtime hours pays $950.00 before tax: $800.00 for the first 40 hours and $150.00 for the overtime.
Does Rhode Island require holiday or weekend pay?
Yes, for many jobs. Retail: work on Sundays and holidays is paid at least 1.5 times, with at least 4 hours' pay, and must be voluntary. Bakeries and pharmacies are exempt. The holidays are New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, July 4, Victory Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Sources
Official federal and state pages and laws, checked . Laws change, so confirm details on the source before you act.
- Rhode Island General Laws 28-12-4.1 (overtime)
- Rhode Island General Laws 28-12-4.3 (exemptions) (effective December 31, 2022)
- Rhode Island General Laws 5-23-2 (retail Sundays and holidays)
- Rhode Island General Laws 25-3-1 (holidays and who is covered) (amended effective January 1, 2024)
- Rhode Island General Laws 25-3-3 (Sunday and holiday pay)
- Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training: Legal holidays
- US Department of Labor: State labor laws table (minimum wage and overtime) (updated November 5, 2026)
- US Department of Labor: Overtime pay
- 29 CFR 778.110: Hourly rate employee (worked examples)
- 29 CFR 778.115: Employees working at two or more rates
- 29 CFR 778.203 and 778.219: Premium pay for Sundays and holidays
- US Department of Labor: Holidays
- US Department of Labor Fact Sheet #14: Coverage under the FLSA (revised July 2009)
- Federal Register, 91 FR 27833: White-collar exemptions after the courts vacated the 2024 rule (May 15, 2026)
Not yet confirmed on an official page: Whether non-retail Sunday and holiday premium hours count toward weekly overtime is not stated in the statute. The calculator treats them like retail hours, which matches the federal crediting rule (29 CFR 778.203).