Bi-weekly vs semi-monthly
- Bi-weekly: paid every two weeks, 26 paydays a year. Each pay period is exactly 14 days, so it lines up with two workweeks.
- Semi-monthly: paid twice a month (for example the 15th and the last day), 24 paydays a year. Pay periods do not line up with workweeks, so overtime is still tracked by workweek.
Overtime is counted per week
Under the US federal rule, each workweek stands alone. Your employer cannot add two weeks together and only pay overtime over 80 hours.
| Hours | Regular | Overtime | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 45 | 40 | 5 |
| Week 2 | 35 | 35 | 0 |
| Pay period | 80 | 75 | 5 |
Averaged over 80 hours it looks like no overtime, but 5 hours of overtime are owed for week one.
Source: US Department of Labor: Overtime Pay
How to fill in a bi-weekly time card
- Set the start date to the first day of your employer’s workweek.
- Enter clock-in, clock-out and break for each of the 14 days.
- Total each week separately and split out overtime for each week.
- Add the two weeks for the pay period total and gross pay.
Ontario
Ontario also counts overtime per work week (after 44 hours). Averaging over two or more weeks is only allowed with a written agreement approved by the Director of Employment Standards.
Source: Ontario: ESA guide, overtime pay
Questions
Is overtime calculated weekly or bi-weekly?
Weekly. Under the federal rule each 7-day workweek is looked at on its own, even when you are paid every two weeks.
How many hours is a full-time bi-weekly pay period?
Usually 80 hours: two 40-hour workweeks.