Help me breakdown 12 hour shift pay

If that's how your contract at work goes then that's what you will get paid. They can designate 3 12s as an alternate work week and pay only straight pay without violating CA labor laws. I am in California and work 12s and only get straight pay. Getting paid time and a half in California after 8 hours is not mandatory when you have an alternative work week that still amounts to 40 or less hours per week, it is a benefit. If you work a 4th 12 hour shift during the week, they can still legally pay you only straight pay for the first 4 hours, but MUST pay overtime of time and a half for anything over 40 hours in a work week. So really, you need to see what your contract says.

Source: http://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/FAQ_Overtime.htm

Okay thanks!

Double question

Yes, look at either your Union contract, or your employee hire policy. For my state, overtime it is anything over 40 hours a week. (or 80 hours if you are paid bi-weekly)

Usually, your base rate is the rate you are paid for an 8 hour period of time (usually day shift). Then, once the evening shift starts (which is usually 3pm) you would get your base rate and a differential. Night shift (11pm) and the differential rises. There's also weekend differential as well.

And don't forget to take into consideration taxes. If your base rate is $18 and hour, your evening diff makes it 19.50 an hour, a night shift makes it 21.00 per hour--and add another dollar or so if you do these shifts on a weekend, (and this is just an example--your contract may be very different), depending on your expemtions, you can say that a quarter of the money you make will be taken for taxes.

Some facilities pay more per hour in lieu of differentials. You also have to look at if they give regular raises, and when that takes place.