Colorado Overtime Calculator
Minimum wage: $15.16/hour · 1.5× after 12 h/day & 40 h/wk · enter your week below and see the exact split.
| Pay type | Hours | Rate | Pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight time | 40.00 | $20.00/h | $800.00 |
| Overtime (1.5×) | 3.00 | $30.00/h | $90.00 |
No day exceeded the 12 h daily threshold. Weekly overtime applied to 3.00 additional hour(s).
Colorado overtime rules at a glance
| Rule | Colorado |
|---|---|
| Minimum wage | $15.16 per hour |
| Daily overtime | Yes — see rules below |
| Weekly overtime | 1.5× after 40 hours |
| Double time | Not required by state law (employer policy may add it) |
| Authority | Colo. Comp. Order 38 (COMPS); C.R.S. § 8-6-111 |
The rules in detail
- 1.5× after 12 hours in a workday
- 1.5× after 12 consecutive hours
- 1.5× after 40 hours in a workweek
Colorado requires 1.5× pay after 12 hours in a workday, after 12 consecutive hours, and after 40 hours in a workweek — whichever gives the employee more.
Enforcement: Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE).
Worked example
A Denver nurse working two 14-hour shifts and three 8-hour shifts (52 total) earns 2 daily overtime hours per long shift plus the weekly overtime past 40.
What Colorado employers sometimes get wrong
Colorado's daily trigger (12 hours) is later than California's 8, but it still beats the federal standard, which has no daily rule at all.
Who is entitled to overtime
Overtime rules protect “non-exempt” employees. The main federal exemptions cover executives, administrators, professionals, outside salespeople and certain computer employees — provided their duties genuinely match the exemption and they clear the salary basis test. Job titles mean nothing: an “assistant manager” who mostly runs a register is still non-exempt in the eyes of the law.
In practice, most hourly workers in Colorado are non-exempt and must receive overtime whenever the rules above trigger. Independent contractors are not covered — but misclassifying an employee as a contractor is one of the most common wage violations.
How to file an overtime claim in Colorado
Check your pay stubs and hours against the calculator above first. If you believe you were shorted, you can file a wage claim with Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) or a complaint with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (dol.gov/agencies/whd). The FLSA lets you recover unpaid overtime going back two years (three for willful violations), often doubled as liquidated damages.
General information, not legal advice. Verify current rules with the U.S. DOL State Overtime Requirements table and Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE).
Questions people ask
What are the overtime laws in Colorado?
Colorado requires 1.5× pay after 12 hours in a workday, after 12 consecutive hours, and after 40 hours in a workweek — whichever gives the employee more. The practical rule: 1.5× after 12 h/day & 40 h/wk. Source: Colo. Comp. Order 38 (COMPS); C.R.S. § 8-6-111.
What is the minimum wage in Colorado?
As of the U.S. Department of Labor's November 5, 2026 table, Colorado's basic minimum rate is $15.16 per hour. The rate may adjust annually and can vary by city or county — check the state labor office for your exact locality.
How is overtime calculated in Colorado?
Multiply your regular hourly rate by 1.5 for every overtime hour. Colorado applies triggers beyond the plain federal 40-hour week — the calculator above splits your hours into straight time, 1.5× and 2× automatically.
Do salaried employees get overtime?
Sometimes. A salary alone does not remove overtime rights — the employee must also perform exempt duties and (for the federal white-collar exemptions) clear the salary threshold. If the exemption tests fail, the employee is owed overtime regardless of pay format.
Does Colorado require overtime on weekends or holidays?
Federal FLSA rules do not require premium pay for weekends or holidays unless total weekly hours exceed the overtime threshold. Colorado's daily rules can add premium pay on long days regardless of the day of week.