Do Employees Make More Working Night Shifts?

Working the night shift comes with its own detriments and risks, including fatigue, stress, and a higher risk of injury. For that reason, night shift workers and other workers working a less-than-desirable shift are known to be paid additional compensation called a shift differential.

While it may be industry-standard to pay an employee a shift differential for overnight work, according to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), it isn’t a federal requirement.

The FLSA states:

“Extra pay for working night shifts is a matter of agreement between the employer and the employee (or the employee’s representative). The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does not require extra pay for night work. However, the FLSA does require that covered, nonexempt workers are paid not less than time and one-half the employee’s regular rate for time worked over 40 hours in a workweek.”

Essentially, the FLSA provides that aside from overtime pay, employers are not required to pay employees additional pay for their work, abnormal schedule or not. Assigning an employee late hours is not grounds for additional pay.

While California’s state law does not entitle employees to more compensation for working the night shift, California’s nonexempt workers do earn double-time pay for working over 12 hours in one shift. Additionally, if an employee works consecutively 7 days, on the 7th day of work employees receive double-time for hours worked over 8.

State laws: it’s not just about California

California might have specific overtime rules, but remember, every state sets its own labor laws. Don’t get caught off guard! Always check your state’s Department of Labor website to see if they have regulations about shift differentials or unique overtime calculations for those working at night.

What’s a typical shift differential?

Don’t assume all night shifts come with a bonus. Some jobs commonly do (like those in healthcare or manufacturing), while others might not. Also, the amount varies wildly. Some workers might get an extra couple of dollars per hour, while others could see a whole percentage increase in their base wage.

This is where things get interesting! Some people argue that companies should be legally required to pay extra for night work since it disrupts lives. Others believe that businesses should decide this for themselves based on what they can afford and how hard it is to fill those shifts.

How to find out what’s standard

Before you take that night job, do your homework:

• Talk to people in the field: Ask around to see if shift differentials are common in your industry.
• Check job postings: See what other companies are offering for similar positions with overnight hours.
• Use online resources: Websites like Glassdoor might have company-specific information about pay and benefits.

Don’t forget your worth

Shift differentials are one factor, but they’re not the whole story. When deciding on a job, also consider:

• Overall pay: Are you getting a competitive base rate, even without the differential?
• Benefits: Does the company offer things that help balance out the tough hours (flexible scheduling, good healthcare, etc.)?
• Your well-being: Is the potential pay increase worth the potential toll on your health and social life? Only you can answer that!