North Carolina: Overtime Laws
Overtime in North Carolina follows two parallel rules. Federal FLSA requires 1.5x pay for hours over 40 per workweek. North Carolina adds: None (FLSA only) (daily) and None (double-time). Where the two conflict, the rule that yields more pay to the worker controls. North Carolina wage-and-hour bulletin
For shift workers running 12-hour rotations, this matters most in any state with a daily 8-hour trigger. California is the obvious example, but several states have partial or industry-specific daily rules. Always verify against the current state bulletin before relying on the table here. Use the ShiftClock weekly overtime calculator for the FLSA test and the shift hours calculator for the daily test.
Recordkeeping in North Carolina mirrors the federal floor under FLSA 11(c). Employers must record start time, end time, breaks, and overtime hours for every non-exempt employee, and retain those records for at least three years. Workers can request copies under state public-records or wage-disclosure rules where they exist.
Across the ShiftClock directory, the rules in North Carolina most often surface for workers on 12-hour rotations, split-shift transit and hospitality roles, and any 24/7 operation that pulls workers across the boundary between two pay periods. Match your schedule pattern in the schedules directory to see which calculators apply, then jump back here to confirm the North Carolina-specific treatment. Where the rule references a dollar figure, remember that the North Carolina 2025 minimum wage of $7.25 per hour anchors most premium and split-shift math.
If your employer disagrees with the calculation, document the schedule, the punches, and the pay-stub line items in writing before escalating. North Carolina workers can file a wage claim with the state labor agency or the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division when the dispute cannot be resolved internally. ShiftClock's guide directory walks through the paperwork and the typical timelines for a wage claim in plain language.