Quick question about how other small businesses handle overtime.

Suppose you have hourly employees who are paid every 2 weeks, who normally work 40 hours/week. Normal small business, not medical, firefighter, teacher, etc. No FLSA, exemption, or salary exceptions apply. They’ve used all their PTO for the year.

The employee comes to you on Thursday and asks to take Friday off. And, asks to work 4-10s plus a normal Friday to make their 80-hour pay period. No impact whatsoever to the business.


The question is: What do you do?

  1. Allow them to work 32 hours on week 1, allow them to work 48 hours on week 2, and pay time 1.5x for 8 hours on week 2

  2. Allow them to work 32 hours in week 1, allow them to work 48 hours in week 2, and pay them straight time for their 80 pay period.

  3. Allow them to work 32 hours in week 1, their normal 40 hours in week 2. Their paycheck is 72 hours that pay period.

  4. Allow them to work 32 hours in week 1, let them borrow 8 hours of PTO for week 1, and pay back that “borrowed” PTO in week 2 of straight time.


Just wondering how other small businesses treat this situation. And yes, I know the official FLSA, state overtime rules, comp-time rules, etc.