PAPennsylvania final paycheck law
If you are fired in Pennsylvania, 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
Per policyunused vacation
| If you | Your last check is due |
|---|---|
| were fired or laid off | Next regular payday |
| quit | Next regular payday |
| have unused vacation | It is paid if your employer's written policy says so. No statute. The employer's written policy controls. |
| are paid late | Wage Payment and Collection Law: 25% an extra penalty payment or $500, whichever is greater, if you file a wage complaint. |
| want to read the law | 43 P.S. 260.5checked October 29, 2026 |
When is my last check due? Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania. When do I get my last check?
Next regular payday.
I quit my job in Pennsylvania. When do I get my last check?
Next regular payday.
What if my employer pays my last check late in Pennsylvania?
Wage Payment and Collection Law: 25% an extra penalty payment or $500, whichever is greater, if you file a wage complaint.
Will my unused vacation be in my last check in Pennsylvania?
Only if your employer's written policy or your contract says so. No statute. The employer's written policy controls. See Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania labor office.