The answer
Forty-eight hours is six eight-hour days, or four twelve-hour shifts. This schedule is 120% of a 40-hour week and counts as above full-time work.
How the hours break down
| Measure | Hours |
|---|---|
| Per week | 48 |
| Per bi-weekly period | 96 |
| Per semi-monthly period (average) | 104 |
| Per month (average) | 208 |
| Per quarter | 624 |
| Per year (52 weeks) | 2496 |
Spread over a 5-day week that is 9.6 hours a day; over a 4-day week 12 hours a day; over 3 days 16 hours a day.
Worked example
48 hours a week at $20 an hour
Weekly gross = 40 h × $20 + 8 h × $30 = $1,040.00. Annual = $1,040.00 × 52 = $54,080.00. Two unpaid weeks would remove $2,080.00, leaving $52,000.00.
Pay at common hourly rates
| Hourly rate | Weekly | 52 weeks | 50 weeks (2 unpaid) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $15.00/h | $780.00 | $40,560.00 | $39,000.00 |
| $20.00/h | $1,040.00 | $54,080.00 | $52,000.00 |
| $25.00/h | $1,300.00 | $67,600.00 | $65,000.00 |
| $30.00/h | $1,560.00 | $81,120.00 | $78,000.00 |
All figures are gross, before taxes, and include federal overtime pay for hours above 40 in each week.
If you have unpaid time off
| Scenario | Hours per year | Hours per month |
|---|---|---|
| Paid all 52 weeks | 2496 h | 208 h |
| 2 unpaid weeks | 2400 h | 200 h |
| 4 unpaid weeks | 2304 h | 192 h |
Overtime
Over 40 hours a week, federal overtime applies to non-exempt employees: 40 regular hours plus 8 overtime hours each week. At $20 an hour that is $1,040.00 a week instead of $960.00 at straight time, a premium of $80.00 a week or $4,160.00 over 52 weeks. See overtime rules and the calculator for state differences.