Split Shift Premium Calculator
Find out whether your split-shift days earn an extra hour of pay, and how much once your wages above the minimum are counted.
California's split shift premium is one hour of pay at the minimum wage ($16.90 at the state rate, or your city's rate if higher) for each workday your schedule is split by an unpaid break longer than a meal period. Anything you earn above the minimum wage that day counts toward it, so higher earners often get a smaller premium or none.
Enter the hours you work on a split-shift day, your hourly rate and your city.
Split Shift Premium Calculator
Split Shift Premium Owed
Per Week
Rate That Covers It
How this is calculated
Section 4 of the California wage orders requires one hour's pay at the minimum wage, in addition to the minimum wage for the day, for each workday with a split shift. The Labor Commissioner credits any wages above the minimum toward that hour:
Premium owed = (hours worked × minimum wage + 1 hour × minimum wage) − your straight-time pay for the day, but never below $0.
Example at the state minimum of $16.90: an 8-hour split-shift day paid at $18.90 an hour earns $151.20. The minimum for that day is $152.10, so $0.90 is owed. At $19.01 an hour or more, the premium is fully covered.
The minimum wage used is the state rate or your city's local minimum wage, whichever is higher. The premium is owed for each split-shift day, must appear as its own line on your pay stub, and doesn't count as hours worked for overtime.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a split shift in California?
A split shift is a workday schedule broken up by an unpaid, non-working period set by the employer that is longer than a normal meal break, such as working 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and coming back at 4 p.m. for the dinner shift. Rest breaks and bona fide meal periods don't make it a split shift, and a break you asked for yourself doesn't count.
How much is the split shift premium?
One hour of pay at the minimum wage for each workday that includes a split shift. At the state minimum of $16.90, that's $16.90. If your city has a higher minimum wage, the premium is one hour at the city rate.
Do I get the split shift premium if I earn more than minimum wage?
Maybe. Pay above the minimum wage counts toward the premium. For an 8-hour day at $18.90 an hour, the extra $2.00 an hour counts toward the premium, so only $0.90 is owed. Earn less than about $19.01 an hour on an 8-hour day and some premium is still due.
Does the split shift premium count toward overtime?
No. The Labor Commissioner says a split shift has no effect on overtime, and the premium hour isn't counted as hours worked. Overtime is still owed for hours actually worked over 8 in a day or 40 in a week.
Who doesn't get a split shift premium?
Employees who live at the place of employment, employees whose break was at their own request, and employees who voluntarily pick up a second shift. Exempt salaried employees aren't covered by the wage order hours provisions, and some union contracts set their own rules.
This tool provides an educational estimate only and is not legal advice. Industry wage orders, union contracts and local laws can change the answer. Contact the Labor Commissioner's Office or an employment attorney about your situation.