Under Michigan overtime laws you earn after 40 hours in a workweek at 1.5 times the regular rate, and no daily overtime in Michigan — only the weekly total counts. The minimum wage is $13.73 (employers of 2 or more); scheduled to reach $15.00 on January 1, 2027. This guide gives the exact michigan overtime laws rule with the date we verified it, the statute, and what to do next.
Rules verified against Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, Wage and Hour Division on 2026-10-08; confirm the current rule with Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, Wage and Hour Division or an attorney before you rely on it.
Michigan Overtime Laws at a Glance
| Minimum wage | $13.73 (employers of 2 or more); scheduled to reach $15.00 on January 1, 2027 |
| Weekly overtime | After 40 hours in a workweek at 1.5 times the regular rate |
| Daily overtime | No daily overtime in Michigan — only the weekly total counts |
| Rate | 1.5 times the regular rate (double time only where the row says so) |
| State overtime statute | Yes |
In This Michigan Overtime Laws Guide:
Michigan Overtime Laws: The Rules
After 40 hours in a workweek at 1.5 times the regular rate. No daily overtime in Michigan — only the weekly total counts. The overtime rate is one and a half times your regular rate of pay — the regular rate includes non-discretionary bonuses and shift differentials, not just the base wage.
How to Calculate Overtime Under Michigan Overtime Laws
Take your total pay for the week, divide by the hours you worked to get the regular rate, and multiply the overtime hours by 1.5 times that rate. A worker paid $13.73 an hour who works 48 hours in a 40-hour state is owed 8 hours at time and a half.
Salary does not mean exempt: a salaried worker below the exemption tests still gets overtime on the hours over the threshold.
Michigan Overtime Laws at a Glance
Rules verified against Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, Wage and Hour Division on 2026-10-08; confirm the current rule with Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, Wage and Hour Division or an attorney before you rely on it. The statute row is where to check it yourself.
| Minimum wage | $13.73 (employers of 2 or more); scheduled to reach $15.00 on January 1, 2027 |
| Weekly overtime | After 40 hours in a workweek at 1.5 times the regular rate |
| Daily overtime | No daily overtime in Michigan — only the weekly total counts |
| Rate | 1.5 times the regular rate (double time only where the row says so) |
| State overtime statute | Yes |
Who Is Exempt From Michigan Overtime Laws
Michigan’s overtime law generally exempts the same jobs that federal law does. These include salaried executives, administrators and professionals, plus outside salespeople who work mostly away from the employer’s place of business. The job duties alone are usually not enough, because the salary test under federal FLSA rules generally also has to be met. Most employers big enough to be covered by the FLSA follow federal overtime rules.
Daily Overtime and Michigan Overtime Laws
Michigan has no daily overtime rule: a 12-hour day in a 36-hour week earns no premium, because only the weekly total counts. Michigan’s statute allows comp time at 1.5 hours for each overtime hour in place of overtime pay, but only if you ask for it in writing and the conditions in the law are met.
Federal law generally bars comp time for private employers covered by the FLSA, so most private workers should expect overtime pay instead. Confirm with LEO which rule covers your employer.
Is Overtime Taxed Differently Under Michigan Overtime Laws?
No — overtime is ordinary wages and is taxed at the same income-tax rates as the rest of your pay; it can push more of your pay into a higher withholding bracket on one check, but the annual tax rate does not change. For tipped workers, overtime is generally based on the full state minimum wage, not on the lower tipped cash wage.
The employer can’t take a bigger tip credit in overtime hours than in regular hours. Michigan’s tip credit is being phased down after the 2024 Michigan Supreme Court ruling in Mothering Justice, so check the current tipped rate with LEO.
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How to Claim Unpaid Overtime Under Michigan Overtime Laws
A Michigan worker can file a Wage and Benefit Complaint with the Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO), online at michigan.gov/wageclaim or on the paper WHD-9430 form, and filing is free. Pay stubs and a record of the hours you worked help support the claim. If your employer is covered by federal law, you can file with the U.S.
DOL Wage and Hour Division instead, and you should confirm the look-back period with the agency before you file.
Other Michigan Overtime Laws Rules to Know
Under MCL 408.934a, an employer can’t use a fired worker’s payout for earned comp time, or eligibility for that payout, to fight an unemployment claim, and the state can’t use it to deny or reduce benefits. Michigan’s wage act also covers only employers with 2 or more employees aged 16 or older. Employers covered by the FLSA are generally governed by federal overtime rules.
Think you are owed overtime? The wage-claim agency takes the complaint for free.
Contact Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, Wage and Hour Division
Michigan — the bottom line
- Michigan overtime laws start the premium after 40 hours in a workweek at 1.5 times the regular rate — count the week, not the day.
- Under michigan overtime laws the rate is 1.5 times the regular rate, and the regular rate includes your bonuses and differentials.
- Michigan overtime laws are enforced by a free wage claim — you do not need a lawyer to recover unpaid overtime.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do I get overtime under Michigan overtime laws?
After 40 hours in a workweek at 1.5 times the regular rate. No daily overtime in Michigan — only the weekly total counts.
What is the overtime rate in Michigan?
One and a half times your regular rate of pay, which includes non-discretionary bonuses and shift pay.
Does Michigan have daily overtime?
No daily overtime in michigan — only the weekly total counts.
Can my employer give comp time instead of overtime pay in Michigan?
Michigan’s statute allows comp time at 1.5 hours for each overtime hour in place of overtime pay, but only if you ask for it in writing and the conditions in the law are met.
How do I claim unpaid overtime in Michigan?
A Michigan worker can file a Wage and Benefit Complaint with the Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO), online at michigan.gov/wageclaim or on the paper WHD-9430 form, and filing is free.
Official Michigan Sources & Resources
- Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, Wage and Hour Division: https://www.michigan.gov/leo/bureaus-agencies/ber/wage-and-hour
- Michigan statute: https://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/mcl/pdf/MCL-408-934A.pdf
- Verified source: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/minimum-wage/state
- U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division — state payday requirements: dol.gov
This michigan overtime laws guide was last verified against official Michigan sources in October 2026. Rules change — confirm the current figure with the state agency or a licensed attorney.
More Michigan Workplace Rights Guides
- Michigan Break Laws: Meal and Rest Breaks
- Michigan Final Paycheck Law: Deadlines and Penalties
- Michigan Labor Laws: Every Rule in One Place
- Michigan Unemployment Benefits: How Much and How Long
- Unemployment and Workplace Rights Guides for All 50 States
Disclaimer: This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. My Unemployment Rights is an independent educational resource, not a government agency and not a law firm. Final-paycheck deadlines, penalties and non compete rules change — every figure here carries the date we verified it. Confirm the current rule with your state labor department or a licensed attorney before you act.