Calculate your overtime pay in Worcester based on your hourly rate and hours worked, using the federal FLSA 40-hour rule for 2026.
Last updated: May 2026 · Data: MIT Living Wage Calculator, C2ER, U.S. Census, BLS, IRS, state and city sources
Applicable minimum wage in Worcester: $15.00/hour
Massachusetts follows the federal Fair Labor Standards Act and the state overtime law, both of which require 1.5x the regular rate for hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek. There is no daily overtime requirement, and the old Sunday and holiday retail premium-pay requirement was phased out and ended in 2023.
| Rule | Worcester (MA) Requirement |
|---|---|
| Weekly overtime threshold | 40 hours/week (1.5x) |
| Daily overtime | Not required (no daily overtime in Massachusetts) |
| Double time | Not required under state or federal law |
| Seventh consecutive day | No special rule (Sunday/holiday retail premium ended in 2023) |
| Applicable minimum wage | $15.00/hour |
| Federal overtime rate | 1.5x regular rate (FLSA) |
Your overtime rate is based on your regular rate of pay, which includes hourly wages and most non-discretionary bonuses. For example, at $15.00/hour a standard 1.5x overtime hour pays $22.50.
Worcester is the second-largest city in New England, anchored by a dense cluster of colleges and a fast-growing biomanufacturing and healthcare sector, including the UMass Chan Medical School, with housing costs well below Boston's.
| Local Metric | Worcester (2026 estimate) |
|---|---|
| Metro population | 210,000 |
| County / jurisdiction | Worcester County |
| Cost of living index (US avg = 100) | 116 |
| MIT living wage, single adult | $22.00/hour |
| MIT living wage, one earner supporting a family of four | $44.50/hour |
| Applicable minimum wage | $15.00/hour |
| Average rent, 1-bedroom | $1,700/month |
| Average rent, 2-bedroom | $2,050/month |
| Median home price | $420,000 |
| Median household income | $60,000/year |
| Combined sales tax rate | 6.25% |
| Effective property tax rate | 1.3% of value/year |
Local figures are 2026 estimates compiled from the MIT Living Wage Calculator, the C2ER Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census and Zillow housing data, and city and county sources. Verify current figures before relying on them.
In Worcester, Massachusetts follows the federal Fair Labor Standards Act and the state overtime law, both of which require 1.5x the regular rate for hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek. There is no daily overtime requirement, and the old Sunday and holiday retail premium-pay requirement was phased out and ended in 2023. Overtime is based on your regular rate of pay, which includes most non-discretionary bonuses, not just your base hourly wage.
The applicable minimum wage in Worcester is $15.00/hour. Worcester does not set a separate city minimum wage, so the Massachusetts statewide minimum of $15.00/hour applies to most employers. Overtime must be at least 1.5x your regular rate, and if your rate is higher than the minimum, overtime is figured on your actual rate.
No. Massachusetts has no daily overtime law, so workers in Worcester earn overtime only after 40 hours in a workweek under the federal FLSA and Massachusetts law, regardless of how many hours they work in a single day.
Salaried executive, administrative, and professional employees who earn above the FLSA salary threshold ($684/week) and meet the duties tests are generally exempt, as are most independent contractors. Massachusetts generally follows the federal exemption rules and salary threshold. Check with an employment attorney for your situation.
Overtime is taxed as ordinary wages. New for 2026, the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act lets eligible non-exempt workers deduct up to $12,500 ($25,000 for joint filers) of overtime pay from federal taxable income. Massachusetts taxes overtime as ordinary income at its flat 5% rate (plus the 4% surtax on income over $1 million) and has not adopted a matching state deduction. Consult a tax professional to confirm eligibility.