Per the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), a workweek is a fixed and regularly recurring period of 168 consecutive hours (or seven consecutive 24-hour periods). Once the beginning time of an employee’s workweek is established, it remains fixed, regardless of the hours the employee is scheduled to work. The workweek is used to determine employee coverage, the application of most exemptions, and compliance with the wage payment requirements of the FLSA, such as when an employee begins to earn overtime pay. 

FAQ

Does the workweek have to coincide with the calendar week?

No, the workweek does not have to coincide with the calendar week, but instead it may begin on any day of the week.

Does the workweek have to coincide with the pay schedule?

No, the workweek will typically not coincide with the pay schedule. The pay schedule sets the recurring periods of time (called pay periods) used to calculate and issue employee earnings. Depending it's length, a pay period may include all or parts of multiple workweeks. Additionally, a single workweek may be split across two pay periods.

Does the workweek include weekends?

Yes. Even if your company has full days where employees aren't working, these days must still be included in the "workweek" for legal compliance, minimum wage tracking, and calculating overtime.