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How soon should you get your final check in California? 

On Behalf of | Aug 2, 2022 | Employment Law

You spent the last few months feeling like it was time to go in a new direction with your career. When you finally went in to tell your employer that you were quitting, it certainly wasn’t news to you. 

But your employer didn’t take it as well as you’d hoped. They said that you should leave and never contact them again. They just laughed when you told them that you wanted your final check.

You know that you deserve that final paycheck because those hours have already been worked. But how fast does your employer have to send it to you?

They have 72 hours

Most employees are at-will employees, meaning that they can quit whenever they want. If you do this, then your employer has to send you that final check in the next 72 hours.

One thing to note is that you don’t necessarily have to pick it up in person. If your employer doesn’t want you to come back to the office because you had a falling out, you can ask them to mail you the check. But they still have to send it to you promptly.

One exception to this is if you are a contractual worker. If so, then your contract should specify when you get the final payment. The contract will have to be adhered to, even if it is different than the standard employment laws that apply to non-contractual (at-will) employees.

What if they won’t send it?

There are plenty of situations where employers don’t know how quickly they have to send out the payment or they believe they can dock that payment as punishment for someone quitting without warning. Neither of these things is legal, so make sure that you know exactly what steps you can take if you find yourself in this position. You certainly deserve the money you are owed.

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