How many hours does a salaried person have to work?
Robert Miller
Updated on March 29, 2026
How Many Hours Can a Salaried Employee Be Made to Work? An exempt salaried employee is typically expected to work between 40 and 50 hours per week, although some employers expect as few or as many hours of work it takes to perform the job well.
Can an employer make you work more than 16 hours in a day?
§ 201 and following), the federal overtime law. The FLSA sets no limits on how many hours a day or week your employer can require you to work. It requires only that employers pay employees overtime (time and a half the worker’s regular rate of pay) for any hours over 40 that the employee works in a week.
Do exempt employees need to make up time?
Yes, make-up time can be worked without incurring overtime when it is approved within the limitations of the law. Several wage orders specifically allow for this, as detailed in Section 3, Hours and Days of Work of each order. In general, California employees must request make-up time in writing.
How are salaried employees paid?
Salaried employees are typically paid by a regular, bi-weekly or monthly paycheck. Their earnings are often supplemented with paid vacation, holidays, healthcare, and other benefits. However, some states have enacted more generous overtime laws and higher thresholds for requiring overtime pay for salaried workers.
How many hours does an exempt employee work?
Most employers expect their exempt employees to work the number of hours necessary to get their jobs done. It doesn’t matter if that takes more or fewer than 40 hours per week. Even if your exempt employee works 70 hours in a week, you are still only required to pay them their standard base salary.
When do you have to pay salary exempt employees?
So even if the employee performs less work than normal, you must still pay them their full salary, as long as the reason for the reduction in work is under the employer’s control. For example, if you simply have no work for the employee to do because business is slow, you still have to pay the entire base salary.
Can a employer make an exempt employee work overtime?
However, you should be aware that if you require exempt employees to work a certain number of hours and account for their work time on an hourly basis, you may jeopardize the exempt status of these employees if the accounting has the effect of treating them like hourly workers. This practice could make the employer liable for past overtime.
How much do exempt computer employees get paid?
These salary requirements do not apply to outside sales employees, teachers, and employees practicing law or medicine. Exempt computer employees may be paid at least $684 * on a salary basis or on an hourly basis at a rate not less than $27.63 an hour.