What is the rate of pay required by the Fair Labor Standards Act for non-exempt employees working over 40 hours in a work week?

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) mandates that non-exempt employees must be compensated at a rate of one and one-half times their regular pay rate for any hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek. This overtime pay requirement is designed to ensure that employees are fairly compensated for their additional time and effort, reflecting the increased burden of working overtime.

This approach not only serves to protect workers by incentivizing employers to manage work hours effectively but also supports a fair wage structure within the workforce. The designation of "non-exempt" refers to employees who are covered by minimum wage and overtime pay provisions of the FLSA, which specifically stipulates this overtime calculation. Thus, any correct understanding of employee compensation in relation to the FLSA necessitates acknowledging that the overtime rate must be set at one and one-half times the regular rate for those qualifying employees.