Covered employees who are not otherwise exempt are entitled to minimum wage for all hours worked in any work week. Work week is defined as a period of 168 hours comprised of 7 consecutive 24 hour periods. Work week may begin on any hour of the day and on any day of the week established by the employer. Each work week stands alone. Not allowed to average or offset using two or more work weeks.
Employer can also partially compensate employees by providing lodging.
The Supreme Court describes the regular rate as the hourly rate actually paid to the employee for the normal non-overtime work week for which the employee is employed. Generally, the hourly rate of pay is determined by dividing the employee's total work week remuneration by the number of hours worked during that work week. If the employee is paid on a salary basis and agrees with his employer that he will receive a fixed salary for a fluctuating work week then an employer may pay at a rate of one-half the regular rate because the employee has already been compensated at straight time rate under the salary arrangement. Employee's work week may not exceed 50 hours per week. Exemptions FLSA contains numerous specific provisions excluding various classifications and types of employees from the overtime provisions.