At $18 an hour, the overtime math is: $18 × 1.5 = $27.00 per overtime hour. Each hour past 40 in the workweek carries a $9.00 premium over straight time — money the FLSA requires for non-exempt workers, whatever the industry.
The table above shows the common blocks: a single extra shift's worth of overtime (5 hours) pays $135, while a heavy 20-hour overtime week pays $540 — turning a $720 base week into $1,260. Consistent overtime compounds: 5 hours weekly for a year is about $7,020 in extra gross pay.
Working these hours in 2025–2028? The $9.00/hour premium portion may be federally deductible — see the no tax on overtime calculator. And if your employer pays 2x for some hours, that's $36.00/hour — the double time calculator covers it.