Home / Guides / Days in a row you can work
How many days in a row can you legally work?
For adults, federal law sets no limit on how many days in a row or how many hours a day you can work: it only requires overtime pay after 40 hours in a workweek. A few states do set limits. California does not let employers cause employees to work more than six days in seven, with exceptions.
By Asier Fernández ·
Federal law
The Fair Labor Standards Act has no cap on hours or consecutive days for workers aged 16 and over. What it does require is time and a half for hours over 40 in a workweek (29 CFR 778.107). Limits exist for specific groups:
- 14- and 15-year-olds: no more than 3 hours on a school day, 8 on a non-school day, 18 a week in school weeks and 40 in other weeks, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. (9 p.m. from June 1 to Labor Day) (29 CFR 570.35).
- Truck drivers: property-carrying drivers can drive up to 11 hours within a 14-hour window after 10 consecutive hours off duty (49 CFR 395.3).
- Other regulated jobs such as pilots, air traffic controllers and nuclear plant staff have rules from their own federal agencies.
State rules
| State | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| California | No employer shall cause employees to work more than six days in seven. It does not apply when total hours do not exceed 30 in a week or 6 in any day. | Labor Code 552 and 556 |
| Maine | An employer may not require more than 80 hours of overtime in any two consecutive weeks, with exceptions for emergencies, essential services and others. | 26 M.R.S. §603 |
| Oregon | Covered large retail, hospitality and food service employers must give 10 hours of rest between shifts or pay time and a half. | ORS 653.442 |
| Several states | Limits on mandatory overtime for nurses in hospitals. | Nurse overtime laws |
California also pays overtime on the seventh consecutive day in a workweek: time and a half for the first 8 hours and double time after that (Labor Code 510). Other states have day-of-rest rules for particular industries; check your state labor department.
Shift schedules and long runs
Common rotations keep runs short: the Pitman never goes above 3 shifts in a row and the DuPont 4. Longer runs belong to specific patterns, such as the 7 on 7 off or 14-day hitches on oil rigs (hitch rotations). If you are asked to work many days in a row, count the overtime: the time card calculator shows it week by week.
More guides
Figures are worked out from each cycle; rules checked against official sources on . How we calculate
Questions
How many days in a row can you work legally?
Federal law sets no limit for adults. California bars employers from causing employees to work more than six days in seven, unless they work 30 hours a week or less, or 6 hours a day or less.
Can I work 7 days a week?
Under federal law, yes, with overtime after 40 hours in the workweek. In California the seventh consecutive day in a workweek is paid at overtime rates.
Is a 24-hour shift legal in the USA?
Yes for adults under federal law. Fire departments commonly use 24-hour shifts. Some jobs, such as truck driving, have their own limits.
How many hours can you legally work in a day?
There is no federal daily limit for adults. Minors aged 14 and 15 are limited to 3 hours on school days and 8 on other days.
Can my employer make me work overtime?
In most states, yes. Maine limits mandatory overtime to 80 hours in two weeks, and several states limit mandatory overtime for hospital nurses.