In the United States, flight attendants do not typically receive the standard "time and a half" for overtime in the same way 9-to-5 workers do, primarily because their labor is governed by the Railway Labor Act rather than the Fair Labor Standards Act. Instead, their pay is determined by complex union contracts (CBAs) that calculate earnings based on "Flight Hours" (from the moment the aircraft door closes to when it opens) rather than a total 40-hour work week. While they may receive "premium pay" for working on specific holidays or for flying beyond their scheduled monthly "bid," it is rarely a simple 1.5x multiplier of their base rate. Most airlines pay a higher hourly rate for any hours flown over a certain monthly threshold (e.g., 75 or 80 hours). Additionally, flight attendants are often not paid for time spent during boarding or delays unless specifically negotiated in their contract. This unique pay structure is a frequent point of negotiation during union bargaining, as crews push for better compensation for all time spent on duty.