Final Paycheck Laws by State
When your job ends, your state sets the deadline for your last paycheck — and it is often sooner if you were fired than if you quit. Pick your state to see your deadline and what to do if it is late.
If you were fired / laid off in California
Immediately
If you quit / resigned in California
Within 72 hours (immediately if you gave 72-hour notice)
Final pay includes all wages you earned through your last day — regular pay, overtime, and usually earned bonuses or commissions. Whether unused PTO must be paid out depends on your state and company policy.
What to do if your final paycheck is late
- Ask your employer in writing for the exact pay date and the wages owed. Keep the message.
- If the deadline above has passed, contact your state labor office — many states add penalties (sometimes 2x or 3x the wages) for late final pay.
- File a wage claim with your state, or with the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division.
Related
- Pay stub laws by state — is your employer required to give one?
- Pay stub checker — are your deductions right?
General information, not legal advice. Deadlines have exceptions (notice given, pay type, PTO policy) and change over time — confirm with your state labor office (linked above) before acting. Where a state has no specific law, the federal FLSA next-regular-payday rule applies.