10 states with the most unpaid overtime

Most Americans can recall weeks when they exceeded the standard 40 hours of work without additional pay— but do they know how those hours add up over a year?

Rebel's Guide to Project Management, a digital resource for professionals, surveyed 3,000 employees across the U.S., finding that collectively Americans worked 46 billion hours of unpaid overtime last year. On average, employees would tack on 4.5 hours each week without compensation, equating to 233 extra hours per worker annually. But depending on the state the employee works in, those hours — and their lost wages — could be far higher. For example, a California worker worked an average of 13 additional hours each week. 

"Our main belief is that economic structure plays a crucial role; states with a higher concentration of industries known for long working hours, such as tech, finance or healthcare, might see more unpaid overtime," says Elizabeth Harrin, owner of Rebel's Guide to Management. "Additionally, cultural norms and workplace expectations within these industries can encourage longer working hours." 

Read more: 15 most hated jobs of 2024

Notably, California, Texas and Florida workers accumulated the most unpaid hours, with Californians collecting 13 billion hours of unpaid overtime. Notably, states like California and New York, which also made it in the top 10, have some of the highest living costs in the country, hinting at the pressure for workers to keep their jobs, even if it means working hard hours. 

Here are 10 states with the most hours of unpaid overtime in 2023, according to Rebel's Guide to Management.