Regular Rate of Pay California Calculator

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California Regular Rate of Pay Calculator

Earned based on performance/sales
Fixed amount (e.g., weekend attendance)

Calculation Results

Regular Rate of Pay (RRP):

$0.00

OT Hourly Rate (1.5x):

$0.00

Double Time Rate (2.0x):

$0.00

Total Gross Weekly Pay:

$0.00

Understanding Regular Rate of Pay in California

In California, "Regular Rate of Pay" is not just your base hourly wage. It is a specific legal calculation used to determine how much an employee should be paid for overtime and double time hours. According to the California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE), the regular rate includes almost all forms of compensation, such as non-discretionary bonuses, commissions, and shift differentials.

How to Calculate RRP

The basic formula for California's Regular Rate of Pay is:

RRP = (Total Non-Exempt Compensation) / (Total Hours Worked)

The "Alvarado" Ruling for Flat-Sum Bonuses

California law (following the Alvarado v. Dart Container Corp case) requires a different calculation for flat-sum bonuses (e.g., a $50 bonus for working a weekend). Unlike production bonuses, flat-sum bonuses are divided only by regular hours worked, not total hours, which results in a higher overtime rate for the worker.

Practical Example

Imagine an employee with the following stats:

  • Base Rate: $20.00/hour
  • Hours: 45 total (40 regular, 5 overtime)
  • Production Bonus: $100.00

Step 1: Total Base Pay. $20 x 45 hours = $900.00
Step 2: Add Bonus. $900 + $100 = $1,000.00 total compensation.
Step 3: Divide by Total Hours. $1,000 / 45 = $22.22 (Regular Rate).
Step 4: Overtime Premium. The overtime rate is $22.22 x 1.5 = $33.33/hr.

What is Excluded?

Only a few items are excluded from the RRP calculation, including:

  • Discretionary gifts (like a holiday bonus not tied to performance).
  • Reimbursements for business expenses.
  • Payments for time not worked (vacation, sick leave, PTO).
function calculateRRP() { var baseRate = parseFloat(document.getElementById('baseRate').value) || 0; var regHours = parseFloat(document.getElementById('regHours').value) || 0; var otHours = parseFloat(document.getElementById('otHours').value) || 0; var dtHours = parseFloat(document.getElementById('dtHours').value) || 0; var prodBonus = parseFloat(document.getElementById('prodBonus').value) || 0; var flatBonus = parseFloat(document.getElementById('flatBonus').value) || 0; var totalHours = regHours + otHours + dtHours; if (totalHours <= 0 && baseRate 0 ? (prodBonus / totalHours) : 0; // Portion of RRP from flat-sum bonus (CA Special Rule: divide by regular hours only) var flatBonusRate = regHours > 0 ? (flatBonus / regHours) : 0; // Calculated Regular Rate of Pay var rrp = baseRate + prodBonusRate + flatBonusRate; // Overtime and Double Time Rates var otRate = rrp * 1.5; var dtRate = rrp * 2.0; // Total Pay Calculation // Total Pay = (Reg Hours * RRP) + (OT Hours * OT Rate) + (DT Hours * DT Rate) // Wait, the standard way to check the math: // Total Pay = Base Comp + Prod Bonus + Flat Bonus + (OT Hours * 0.5 * RRP) + (DT Hours * 1.0 * RRP) var totalPay = (regHours * rrp) + (otHours * otRate) + (dtHours * dtRate); // Update Display document.getElementById('resRRP').innerText = "$" + rrp.toFixed(2); document.getElementById('resOTRate').innerText = "$" + otRate.toFixed(2); document.getElementById('resDTRate').innerText = "$" + dtRate.toFixed(2); document.getElementById('resTotalPay').innerText = "$" + totalPay.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2}); document.getElementById('rrp-results').style.display = 'block'; }

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