Free Tool · 1 free use per week
Model overtime costs, cost per contact impact, and the breakeven point for hiring vs OT.
Last verified: March 2026
Overtime is the most expensive way to cover staffing gaps. At 1.5x base rate, sustained OT above 15% of total hours is almost always more expensive than hiring — even with 6-8 weeks of training ramp. Use this calculator to model the true cost of OT and compare against your hiring timeline.
OT as % of Total Hours17.0% — Consider Hiring
AcceptableMonitorConsider HiringHire Now
COST PER CONTACT IMPACT
Regular CPC: $4.17 → Blended CPC: $4.51 (+8% premium from OT)
Standard OT Rate1.5x
OT Threshold15%
Current OT Rate17%
Hire Lead Time+8wk
Key:OT at 17% of total hours exceeds the 15% threshold. At $15,000/week in OT cost, you'd break even on a new hire in approximately 1 weeks including training ramp.
