MDMaryland final paycheck law
If you are fired in Maryland, your final pay is due by the next regular payday. If you quit, it is due by the next regular payday.
Next paydayif fired or laid off
Next paydayif you quit
Paid outunused vacation
| If you | Your last check is due |
|---|---|
| were fired or laid off | Next regular payday |
| quit | Next regular payday |
| have unused vacation | It must be paid. Earned but unused vacation must be paid when you leave the job unless the employer has a written rule that unused time is lost given to the employee at hire. |
| are paid late | Wage Payment and Collection Law: up to three times the unpaid amount if wages are withheld without a genuine disagreement. |
| want to read the law | Md. Code, Lab. & Empl. 3-505, 3-507.2checked October 29, 2026 |
When is my last check due? Maryland calculator
What you are owedupdates as you type
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 Maryland. When do I get my last check?
Next regular payday.
I quit my job in Maryland. When do I get my last check?
Next regular payday.
What if my employer pays my last check late in Maryland?
Wage Payment and Collection Law: up to three times the unpaid amount if wages are withheld without a genuine disagreement.
Will my unused vacation be in my last check in Maryland?
Yes, the law requires it. Earned but unused vacation must be paid when you leave the job unless the employer has a written rule that unused time is lost given to the employee at hire. See Maryland 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 Maryland labor office.