Final answer:
After 40 hours of work in a workweek, an employee in the U.S. is legally entitled to compensation at a rate of not less than 1.5 times their regular hourly rate for overtime work. The correct option regarding the compensation rate after 40 hours of work is Option A, 1.5 times.
Step-by-step explanation:
Your question pertains to the compensation rate for overtime work in the United States. According to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), after 40 hours of work in a workweek, an employee shall be compensated at a rate of not less than 1.5 times their regular rate for every hour worked beyond the standard 40-hour workweek. This means that if you usually earn $10 per hour, any work done after 40 hours in a single week should be paid at $15 per hour, which is 1.5 times your regular hourly rate.
Bearing this in mind, let's walk through the options presented in your question to identify the correct option in the final answer. Option A suggests '1.5 times', which aligns with the overtime pay requirement under FLSA. Option B suggests '2 times', option C suggests '50%', and option D suggests '100%', which could be understood as double the rate. None of these options other than A reflect the standard overtime compensation rate mandated by law.
Therefore, based on the options provided and the established law, the correct answer to your question is A. 1.5. After 40 hours of work, an employee shall be compensated not less than 1.5 times the regular rate for every hour of overtime work.