Direct answer
Check whether your approved paid hours crossed the overtime threshold, then compare the pay stub’s regular-hours and overtime-hours lines against your own weekly calculation.
Use this page for searches like "check if overtime is missing from paycheck" when the answer depends on a real workplace detail, not just a formula.
Open Overtime Pay CalculatorRealistic scenario
Missing overtime can be real, but it can also come from unpaid breaks, PTO hours that do not count toward overtime, a pay-period cutoff, or a policy that separates premium pay from overtime.
Approved paid hours: 43.25. Overtime threshold: 40.00. Expected overtime: 3.25 hours. Stub shows 1.25 overtime hours, so 2.00 hours need review.
Calculation frame
Expected overtime hours = approved qualifying hours - overtime threshold.
Comparison table
| Item | What to write down | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Question | check if overtime is missing from paycheck | Keeps the page focused on the real search intent |
| Working rule | Expected overtime hours = approved qualifying hours - overtime threshold. | Prevents mixing hours, gross pay, net pay, and policy rules |
| Copyable result | Approved paid hours: 43.25. Overtime threshold: 40.00. Expected overtime: 3.25 hours. Stub shows 1.25 overtime hours, so 2.00 hours need review. | Gives you a clean line to save, send, or compare |
How to check it
Key checks
- Use approved paid hours after unpaid lunch.
- Check the overtime period, usually a workweek.
- Subtract the threshold from qualifying hours.
- Compare that number with the pay stub overtime line.
- Check whether holiday, PTO, or differential hours were excluded.
Details people usually miss
Weekly overtime should usually be calculated by week, not by combining two biweekly weeks first.
If the stub shows premium pay but not overtime, read the line labels carefully.
If your time card changed after payroll closed, the correction may land on the next paycheck.
Common mistakes
Do not count unpaid lunch as overtime.
Do not assume PTO always counts toward overtime.
Do not compare scheduled hours with approved paid hours.
Useful internal links
How To Check Overtime Before Payroll Submission: /guides/how-to-check-overtime-before-payroll-submission/
How To Calculate Overtime With Lunch Breaks: /guides/how-to-calculate-overtime-with-lunch-breaks/
Open the related calculator: /tools/time-card-calculator-with-lunch-break/
Open Overtime Pay Calculator