Getting What You're Owed, When You're Owed It
So, you were fired? Yes, it sucks, but it happens to almost everyone at least once in their lives. The important part is getting what you are owed on your way out—namely, your final paycheck.
That's right. In the United States, when you are let go, you have a legal right to your final paycheck—which must include all wages due for work up to the moment of termination.
However, while you have a right to it—how quickly you have to receive said paycheck, well, the legality of that comes down to what state you are in (as well as how you left your job).
So, for each state, we will give you the current 2025 laws regarding final paychecks for both situations: if you resigned and if you were fired or laid off.
Alabama
Resignation: No law.
Involuntary termination: No law.
(Five states have no laws regarding the final paycheck and thus follow the federal FLSA guidelines: allowing employers to issue the final paycheck on the next regular pay date).
Carol M. Highsmith, Wikimedia Commons
Alaska
Resignation: Next regularly scheduled pay date, at least three working days after an employee quits.
Involuntary termination: Within three working days.
Quintin Soloviev, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Arizona
Resignation: Next regularly scheduled pay date.
Involuntary termination: Within seven working days or the next regularly scheduled payday, whichever comes first.
Arkansas
Resignation: Next regularly scheduled pay date. If an employer fails to make payment within seven days of the next regular payday, then the employer shall owe the employee double the wages due.
Involuntary termination: Next regularly scheduled pay date. If an employer fails to make payment within seven days of the next regular payday, then the employer shall owe the employee double the wages due.
Law7833, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
California
Resignation: Within 72 hours, but if an employee gives at least 72 hours’ notice, the final wages must be paid at the time of resignation.
Involuntary termination: Immediately.
DianeBentleyRaymond, Getty Images
Colorado
Resignation: Next regularly scheduled pay date.
Involuntary termination: Immediately.
Jguy10218, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Connecticut
Resignation: Next regularly scheduled pay date.
Involuntary termination: Next business day if fired, but on the next regularly scheduled pay date if they were laid off.
Delaware
Resignation: Next regularly scheduled pay date or three days after the last day, whichever comes first.
Involuntary termination: Next regularly scheduled pay date or three days after the last day, whichever comes first.
Acroterion, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
District Of Columbia
Resignation: Next regularly scheduled pay date or within seven days from the date of resigning, whichever comes first.
Involuntary termination: Next business day if fired, but on the next regularly scheduled pay date if they were laid off.
Florida
Resignation: No law.
Involuntary termination: No law.
Jason Meredith, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Georgia
Resignation: No law.
Involuntary termination: No law.
Hawaii
Resignation: Next regularly scheduled pay date or at the time of quitting if the employee gave at least one pay period’s notice before resigning
Involuntary termination: Immediately or the next working day.
Idaho
Resignation: Next regularly scheduled pay date or within 10 working days of termination, whichever comes first. If an employee requests early payment in writing after separation, employers are required to pay the owed wages within 48 hours of receiving the request, excluding weekends and holidays.
Involuntary termination: Next regularly scheduled pay date or within 10 working days of termination, whichever comes first. If an employee requests early payment in writing after separation, employers are required to pay the owed wages within 48 hours of receiving the request, excluding weekends and holidays.
Illinois
Resignation: At the time of separation, if possible, but no later than the next regularly scheduled pay date.
Involuntary termination: At the time of separation, if possible, but no later than the next regularly scheduled pay date.
Lectrician2, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Indiana
Resignation: On or before the next regularly scheduled pay date.
Involuntary termination: On or before the next regularly scheduled pay date.
Iowa
Resignation: Next regularly scheduled pay date.
Involuntary termination: Next regularly scheduled pay date.
Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Kansas
Resignation: Next regularly scheduled pay date.
Involuntary termination: Next regularly scheduled pay date.
Kentucky
Resignation: Next regularly scheduled pay date or within 14 days of termination, whichever is later.
Involuntary termination: Next regularly scheduled pay date or within 14 days of termination, whichever is later.
Louisiana
Resignation: On or before the next regularly scheduled pay date or within 15 days of termination, whichever is earlier.
Involuntary termination: On or before the next regularly scheduled pay date or within 15 days of termination, whichever is earlier.
Maine
Resignation: Next regularly scheduled pay date or within two weeks if an employee demands.
Involuntary termination: Next regularly scheduled pay date or within two weeks if an employee demands.
Jeffrey B. Ferland, CC BY-SA 2.5, Wikimedia Commons
Maryland
Resignation: On or before the next regularly scheduled pay date.
Involuntary termination: On or before the next regularly scheduled pay date.
Massachusetts
Resignation: Next regularly scheduled pay date or by the first Saturday after they quit (if there is no regular payday).
Involuntary termination: Immediately.
Michigan
Resignation: Next regularly scheduled pay date.
Involuntary termination: Next regularly scheduled pay date.
BenHerrera1979, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Minnesota
Resignation: Next regularly scheduled pay date that is at least five days after their last day of work. If the payday is within five days of the last day of work, the employer may have up to 20 days to make the final payment.
Involuntary termination: Within 24 hours of an employee’s demand.
Wikideas1, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
Mississippi
Resignation: No law.
Involuntary termination: No law.
Waveland Mississippi by Darius Webb
Missouri
Resignation: No law.
Involuntary termination: Immediately.
Montana
Resignation: Next regularly scheduled pay date or within 15 days of termination, whichever is soonest.
Involuntary termination: Immediately.
Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Nebraska
Resignation: Next regularly scheduled pay date or within two weeks, whichever is soonest.
Involuntary termination: Next regularly scheduled pay date or within two weeks, whichever is soonest.
Nevada
Resignation: Next regularly scheduled pay date or within seven days, whichever is soonest.
Involuntary termination: Within three days of discharge.
Shaun Hunter/Wirestock, Adobe Stock
New Hampshire
Resignation: Next regularly scheduled pay date. If the employee gives one pay period notice to quit, the wages should be paid within 72 hours of the last day.
Involuntary termination: Within 72 hours.
AlexiusHoratius, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
New Jersey
Resignation: Next regularly scheduled pay date.
Involuntary termination: Next regularly scheduled pay date.
New Mexico
Resignation: Next regularly scheduled pay date.
Involuntary termination: Within five days for fixed wages or within 10 days for variable task-based amounts.
Sahmeditor, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
New York
Resignation: Next regularly scheduled pay date.
Involuntary termination: Next regularly scheduled pay date.
North Carolina
Resignation: On or before the next regularly scheduled pay date.
Involuntary termination: On or before the next regularly scheduled pay date.
Precisionviews, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
North Dakota
Resignation: Next regularly scheduled pay date.
Involuntary termination: Next regularly scheduled pay date.
Ohio
Resignation: On or before the next regularly scheduled pay date, or within 15 days, whichever is soonest.
Involuntary termination: On or before the next regularly scheduled pay date, or within 15 days, whichever is soonest.
Oklahoma
Resignation: Next regularly scheduled pay date.
Involuntary termination: Next regularly scheduled pay date.
Oregon
Resignation: If an employee quits with less than 48 hours’ notice, the final paycheck is due within five business days or on the next regular payday, whichever comes first. If an employee quits with at least 48 hours’ notice, the final check is due on the last day of employment unless that day is a weekend or a holiday. In that case, the final paycheck is due on the next business day.
Involuntary termination: End of next business day.
Visitor7, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Pennsylvania
Resignation: Next regularly scheduled pay date.
Involuntary termination: Next regularly scheduled pay date.
Derek.cashman, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Rhode Island
Resignation: Next regularly scheduled pay date.
Involuntary termination: Next regularly scheduled pay date, but if an employee is terminated as a result of the employer liquidating the business, merging the business, disposing of the business or moving the business out of state, all wages are due immediately and have to be paid within 24 hours of the time of separation.
Kenneth C. Zirkel, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
South Carolina
Resignation: Within 48 hours of the day of separation or the next regularly scheduled pay date, not to exceed 30 days.
Involuntary termination: Within 48 hours of the day of separation or the next regularly scheduled pay date, not to exceed 30 days.
South Dakota
Resignation: Next regularly scheduled pay date. An employer can withhold the final paycheck until an employee returns any company property they have.
Involuntary termination: Next regularly scheduled pay date. An employer can withhold the final paycheck until an employee returns any company property they have.
Tennessee
Resignation: Next regularly scheduled pay date or within 21 days after termination, whichever is later.
Involuntary termination: Next regularly scheduled pay date or within 21 days after termination, whichever is later.
Texas
Resignation: Next regularly scheduled pay date.
Involuntary termination: Within six calendar days.
Utah
Resignation: Next regularly scheduled pay date.
Involuntary termination: Within 24 hours.
Vermont
Resignation: Next regularly scheduled pay date or the following Friday after termination if there’s no regular payday.
Involuntary termination: Within 72 hours of discharge.
Virginia
Resignation: On or before the next.
Involuntary termination: On or before the next.
MrPanyGoff, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Washington
Resignation: On or before the next regularly scheduled pay date.
Involuntary termination: On or before the next regularly scheduled pay date.
Spicypepper999, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
West Virginia
Resignation: Next regularly scheduled pay date.
Involuntary termination: Next regularly scheduled pay date.
Wisconsin
Resignation: Next regularly scheduled pay date.
Involuntary termination: Next regularly scheduled pay date.
Wyoming
Resignation: Next regularly scheduled pay date.
Involuntary termination: Next regularly scheduled pay date.
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