COColorado final paycheck law
If you are fired in Colorado, your final pay is due immediately. If you quit, it is due by the next regular payday.
| If you | Your last check is due |
|---|---|
| were fired or laid off | Immediately. Within 6 hours of the start of the next work day if the payroll office is closed, or within 24 hours if payroll is off-site |
| quit | Next regular payday |
| have unused vacation | It must be paid. All earned but unused vacation must be paid when you leave the job. Rules that take it away do not count. |
| are paid late | If not paid within 14 days of you asking in writing: the greater of 2x the unpaid amount or $1,000. 3x or $3,000 if deliberate. |
| want to read the law | C.R.S. 8-4-109checked October 29, 2026 |
When is my last check due? Colorado calculator
What these words mean
- Final paycheck
- The last pay you are owed after a job ends: all hours worked and, in some states, your unused vacation.
- Late-pay penalty
- Extra money some states make an employer pay when your final check is late.
- Payout
- Being paid cash for paid time off you earned but never used.
- Wage complaint
- A free claim you file with your state labor office or the U.S. Department of Labor when you are not paid what the law requires.
Questions
I was fired in Colorado. When do I get my last check?
Immediately. Within 6 hours of the start of the next work day if the payroll office is closed, or within 24 hours if payroll is off-site. It must include the vacation you earned but did not use.
I quit my job in Colorado. When do I get my last check?
Next regular payday.
What if my employer pays my last check late in Colorado?
If not paid within 14 days of you asking in writing: the greater of 2x the unpaid amount or $1,000. 3x or $3,000 if deliberate.
Will my unused vacation be in my last check in Colorado?
Yes, the law requires it. All earned but unused vacation must be paid when you leave the job. Rules that take it away do not count. See Colorado PTO payout rules.
Can my employer keep my last check until I return my uniform or laptop?
No. Money you earned is yours. An employer can only take out what the law or a signed agreement allows. If the check is late, file a free wage complaint with the Colorado labor office.