Work Hours, Pay Period & Overtime Numbers (2026)
Last updated September 24, 2026
2026 has 261 weekdays, which is 2,088 work hours at 8 hours a day, not the rounded 2,080 often quoted. A full-time 40-hour employee works 80 hours per bi-weekly pay period, 86.67 per semi-monthly period and 173.33 per monthly period. Under federal law, overtime is 1.5× the regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek. Every figure on this page links to its primary source.
- Work hours in 2026: 2,088 (261 weekdays × 8). 2028 is the low year at 2,080.
- Hours per pay period at 40 h/week: weekly 40, bi-weekly 80, semi-monthly 86.67, monthly 173.33.
- Pay periods per year: weekly 52, bi-weekly 26, semi-monthly 24, monthly 12.
- Federal overtime: 1.5× the regular rate after 40 hours in a workweek. Double time is not federally required.
- Federal minimum wage: $7.25 an hour, unchanged since July 24, 2009.
- California: overtime after 8 hours in a day; double time after 12.
- New York farm workers: overtime after 52 hours a week in 2026, falling to 40 by 2032.
How many work hours are in a year?
Counting every Monday–Friday in the calendar year at 8 hours a day, before public holidays and paid time off:
| Year | Weekdays | Work hours (8 h/day) |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 262 | 2,096 |
| 2025 | 261 | 2,088 |
| 2026 | 261 | 2,088 |
| 2027 | 261 | 2,088 |
| 2028 | 260 | 2,080 |
| 2029 | 261 | 2,088 |
| 2030 | 261 | 2,088 |
These are counted from the real calendar, so they differ slightly from the round 2,080 (40 hours × 52 weeks) that most salary conversions use. The federal government uses a third figure: the Office of Personnel Management divides federal salaries by 2,087 hours, the average over a 28-year calendar cycle (OPM). To count any year, month or date range yourself, use the work hours in a year calculator.
How many hours are in a pay period?
For a full-time employee on 40 hours a week (2,080 hours a year):
| Pay frequency | Pay periods per year | Hours per period |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly | 52 (53 in some years) | 40 |
| Bi-weekly (every 2 weeks) | 26 (27 in some years) | 80 |
| Semi-monthly (twice a month) | 24 | 86.67 average |
| Monthly | 12 | 173.33 average |
Period counts match the IRS withholding tables (IRS Publication 15-T). Semi-monthly and monthly hours are averages because those periods vary in length. The occasional 53rd weekly or 27th bi-weekly payday happens when a year's 365 or 366 days push one extra payday into the calendar year. The pay period calculator shows every payday for your schedule.
Federal overtime and pay rules (FLSA)
| Rule | Current federal figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Overtime rate | At least 1.5× the regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek | 29 U.S.C. 207 |
| Workweek | A fixed, recurring 168 hours (seven consecutive 24-hour periods) | DOL |
| Double time | Not required by federal law | DOL FAQ |
| Minimum wage | $7.25 an hour, since July 24, 2009 | DOL |
| Salary threshold for exempt (white-collar) employees | $684 a week ($35,568 a year) | DOL |
| Highly compensated employee threshold | $107,432 a year (including at least $684 a week in salary) | DOL |
The 2024 rule that would have raised the exempt salary threshold to $844 and then $1,128 a week was vacated by a federal court in November 2024 (Texas v. U.S. Department of Labor), and the 2019 levels above remain in force. Several states, including California, New York and Washington, set higher thresholds of their own. For how the federal overtime rules work in practice, see federal overtime basics.
Breaks and rounding under federal rules
- Short rest breaks of about 5 to 20 minutes count as hours worked and must be paid (29 CFR 785.18).
- Meal periods, ordinarily 30 minutes or more with the employee completely relieved of duty, are not work time and can be unpaid (29 CFR 785.19).
- Apart from break time for nursing employees to express milk, federal law does not require meal or rest breaks for adults (DOL). Many states do.
- Rounding punch times to the nearest 5 minutes, tenth of an hour (6 minutes) or quarter hour (15 minutes) is allowed if it averages out and doesn't underpay employees over time (29 CFR 785.48). Quarter-hour rounding is where the 7-minute rule comes from.
California daily overtime and breaks
| Hours worked | California rate |
|---|---|
| Over 8 in a workday (up to 12) | 1.5× |
| Over 40 in a workweek | 1.5× |
| First 8 hours on the 7th consecutive day in a workweek | 1.5× |
| Over 12 in a workday | 2× (double time) |
| Over 8 on the 7th consecutive day in a workweek | 2× (double time) |
Source: California DIR overtime FAQ. California also requires a 30-minute meal period for shifts over 5 hours (waivable by mutual consent if the day is 6 hours or less) and a second one over 10 hours (DIR), plus a paid 10-minute rest break per 4 hours worked "or major fraction thereof", with none required for a workday under 3½ hours (DIR). California courts have also restricted time-clock rounding in some situations, including meal-period punches, so check current California law before relying on the federal rounding rule there. To total a week under California rules, set daily overtime to 8 and double time to 12 in the time card calculator.
New York farm worker overtime threshold, 2024–2032
| From | Overtime after (hours per week) |
|---|---|
| Before January 1, 2024 | 60 |
| January 1, 2024 | 56 |
| January 1, 2026 (current) | 52 |
| January 1, 2028 | 48 |
| January 1, 2030 | 44 |
| January 1, 2032 | 40 |
Sources: New York State Department of Labor and Cornell Agricultural Workforce Development. The time card calculator's weekly overtime field accepts any threshold, so farm employers can set it to 52 today.
Frequently asked questions
How many work hours are in 2026?
2026 has 261 weekdays, so a Monday–Friday, 8-hour-a-day schedule totals 2,088 work hours before holidays and paid time off. The commonly quoted 2,080 (40 × 52) is a convention, not the calendar count.
How many hours are in a bi-weekly pay period?
80 hours for a full-time employee working 40 hours a week. Part-time schedules, leave and overtime change the actual total.
How many hours are in a semi-monthly pay period?
86.67 hours on average (2,080 ÷ 24). Semi-monthly periods run 13 to 16 days, so the actual scheduled hours vary from period to period.
Does federal law require double time?
No. The FLSA requires 1.5× the regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek and has no double-time requirement. Double time comes from state law (such as California's rule for hours over 12 in a day), union contracts or employer policy.
What is the minimum salary for exempt employees in 2026?
Under federal law, $684 a week ($35,568 a year), the 2019 level. The 2024 increase was vacated in November 2024. Some states, including California, New York and Washington, set higher thresholds.
What is the New York farm overtime threshold in 2026?
52 hours a week from January 1, 2026. It drops to 48 in 2028, 44 in 2030 and 40 in 2032.