Overtime pay · Alberta
Alberta overtime pay.
When overtime starts in Alberta, what it is worth, and what a week of long shifts actually pays.
Alberta pays overtime at 1½ times the regular rate for hours over 8 in a day or 44 in a week, whichever gives the greater total.
The two tests are never added together. Alberta’s own worked example pays 17 hours on a 61-hour week where the daily excess was 14 and the weekly excess 17.
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Alberta overtime rules
- Weekly threshold: overtime starts after 44 hours in a week.
- Daily threshold: overtime also starts after 8 hours in a day.
- Overtime rate: 1.5× the regular rate.
Alberta’s 8/44 rule pays the greater of the daily total and the weekly total, never both. Alberta’s own example: a 61-hour week with 14 hours of daily excess and 17 hours of weekly excess pays 17 hours of overtime, not 31. Overtime can be banked at 1 hour per overtime hour under a written agreement, and must be taken within six months. A shorter contractual work week does not lower the 8/44 threshold unless a collective agreement, another agreement or a consistent written employer practice says so.
Who is exempt
Managers, supervisors and those employed in a confidential capacity; most licensed professionals; salespersons of vehicles, farm machinery and heavy equipment; commission salespeople soliciting principally away from the employer’s premises; licensed real estate and securities salespersons; direct sellers aged 16 and over; land agents; film and video extras; non-profit camp counsellors; and domestic employees. Several industries have their own thresholds, such as trucking at 10 hours a day and 50 a week and taxi at 10 and 60.
Source, last verified 2 September 2026: Alberta.ca — Overtime hours and overtime pay.
Frequently asked questions
When does overtime start in Alberta?
Under the 8/44 rule: hours over 8 in a day, or hours over 44 in a week, whichever produces the greater total. Overtime is paid at 1½ times the regular wage.
The two are never added together.
How does the "greater of" rule actually work?
Work out the daily excess and the weekly excess separately, then pay the larger of the two. Alberta’s published example is a 61-hour week: daily excess 3+3+2+4+2 = 14 hours, weekly excess 61−44 = 17 hours, so 17 hours of overtime is owed.
Adding them would give 31, which is exactly the mistake the rule exists to prevent. The calculator on this page applies the rule correctly.
My employer says my work week is 40 hours — do I get overtime after 40?
Not automatically. In Alberta a shorter contractual work week does not lower the statutory 8/44 threshold on its own.
It does if a collective agreement, another agreement, or a consistent written employer practice sets the lower threshold. Absent that, overtime is still calculated on 8/44.
Can Alberta overtime be banked instead of paid?
Yes, under a written overtime agreement — individual, or a group agreement signed by a majority of the group. Overtime earned after 1 September 2019 banks at one hour per overtime hour, not one and a half.
Banked time must be taken and paid within six months of the end of the pay period in which it was earned, or the employer must pay 1½ times instead. Either party can cancel with one month’s written notice.
Estimate only — not legal advice
This calculator produces an estimate from the published employment-standards minimums. It is not legal advice and it is not a determination of what you are owed. Overtime rules in Alberta are set by Alberta Employment Standards, and a long list of occupations is exempt or subject to a different threshold.
Collective agreements, employment contracts, exemptions for your occupation, averaging agreements and permits can all change the answer. For a binding answer, contact the employment-standards office named above or a lawyer.