Frequently asked
DutyPay FAQ
Common questions about how DutyPay handles public-safety pay — §7(k) overtime, Kelly cycles, shift differentials, and how it ties into your pension.
- Is DutyPay really free?
Yes. DutyPay is fully free with no ads, no upsells, and no premium tier — every feature is available to every account. It exists as a tool for public-safety workers, funded by the same team that builds PensionForge (a separate paid retirement-planning product). You don't need to use PensionForge to use DutyPay.
- Does DutyPay work for firefighters, police, EMS, and corrections?
Yes. DutyPay supports the schedule patterns common in all four: Kelly cycles (24/48, 48/96, modified Kelly), platoon rotations (A/B/C/D shifts), 4/3 and 5/2 rotations for police, 12-hour 3-on/3-off corrections schedules, and EMS rotation patterns. Anything cyclical works. Custom schedules are also supported.
- What is FLSA §7(k) and how does it affect my overtime?
The Fair Labor Standards Act's §7(k) exemption lets public-safety employers use work periods longer than 7 days for overtime calculation. The most common thresholds are 53 hours per 7-day period for firefighters and 43 hours per 7-day period for police. DutyPay applies your specific §7(k) work period automatically and finds the most favorable overtime calculation per pay period.
- How does DutyPay calculate Kelly day overtime?
On a Kelly schedule, some pay periods include a Kelly day and some do not, which creates wide swings in scheduled hours. DutyPay applies your §7(k) work period to each pay period independently — overtime is calculated based on whether your actual hours exceeded your work-period threshold, not your average weekly hours. The full earnings projection respects this across the whole Kelly cycle.
- Can I track shift differentials and stipends?
Yes. DutyPay supports recurring shift differentials (night, weekend, holiday, EMT/paramedic premium, FTO, K-9 handler, hazmat, training), one-off shift bonuses, and recurring incentives that pay a flat amount per paycheck. Everything you'd see itemized on a pay stub can be modeled.
- Will my overtime count toward my pension?
It depends on your retirement system. Most public-safety pension plans calculate the benefit from a 'final average salary' or 'highest 36 months' base — and many exclude overtime, while some include it. CalPERS, NYCERS, FRS, and state-specific systems each have different rules. The honest answer is: it depends on your specific plan, and the difference between 'OT counts' and 'OT excluded' can be tens of thousands of dollars per year in retirement.
Model your pension with PensionForge- How do shift differentials affect my retirement?
Similar to overtime, whether shift differentials count toward pensionable earnings varies by system. Night differential and FTO premium are often pensionable; holiday pay sometimes is; one-off bonuses usually are not. Because differentials compound over a career, an extra $3–5/hour pensionable can change your retirement multiplier by a meaningful amount.
See your numbers on PensionForge- Does DutyPay see my pay stubs?
No. DutyPay never integrates with your payroll system, and you don't upload pay stubs. You log your own calendar and rates, and DutyPay projects what your paycheck should be. Paycheck reconciliation works by you entering your actual gross when you get paid — DutyPay compares it to the projection so you can spot the gap.
- Is my data private?
Yes. DutyPay never collects medical records, patient or incident data, or anything outside what you enter for paycheck projection. Account data is stored in Supabase with row-level security — even DutyPay employees cannot read another user's rows. The Privacy Policy has the full breakdown.
- Does DutyPay work offline?
Yes. DutyPay is a Progressive Web App (PWA) — once installed to your home screen, the calendar and shift logging work offline. Changes sync the next time you have a connection. This matters for first responders who work in areas with patchy coverage.
- Can I share my schedule with a partner or coworker?
Yes. You can generate a read-only share link that shows when you are on and off shift — no pay, no partner names, no leave-type labels. Useful for family planning, childcare coordination, or coordinating shift trades with coworkers.
- What payroll calendars does DutyPay support?
Biweekly is the most common, and DutyPay handles 26-period biweekly with two 3-paycheck months per year automatically. Weekly, semi-monthly, and monthly are also supported. The pay-period boundary is what drives §7(k) overtime calculation, so getting this right matters.
Still have a question?
The fastest answer is to try it — DutyPay is free and the setup takes about a minute.
Start tracking your shifts