You were let go. When should you have been paid?
Your job ended. Your final paycheck came later. The first question is which payment deadline applied to your job.
The usual payday may not be the deadline.
California generally requires immediate payment of final wages when an employee is discharged. Certain jobs and industries have different rules, so the kind of work matters. Check the state’s final-pay guidance.
Earned, unused vacation generally must also be paid at separation, with a collective-bargaining exception. Read the state’s vacation-pay guidance.
Keep the explanation you were given.
“Wait for payroll” tells us what your employer said. It does not, by itself, tell us which deadline applied. Save the message or write down what you remember, including who said it and when.
For a review, these details help put the events in order:
- The date your employer told you the job was ending.
- Your actual last day and the kind of work you did.
- When you were paid and how the payment was made.
- Any message saying a check was available, mailed, or delayed.
If you do not have a termination letter or the exact dates, you can still start with what you know. The review can identify what records are needed next.
Could you be owed additional money?
Late final wages can lead to a waiting-time penalty when the legal requirements are met. The penalty is not automatic, including where there is a good-faith wage dispute. Read the state’s waiting-time penalty guidance.
Already received the paycheck? Payment can still leave a separate penalty question.
You decide whether to proceed.
CheckLate starts with a free review. If your case can proceed, the written agreement explains the fee terms and services included. Legal work begins only after acceptance and signing. You only pay if money is recovered for you, subject to the agreement’s terms.
General information, not a decision about your claim. Exceptions and deadlines can depend on the facts. Sending a CheckLate inquiry does not file a legal claim or stop a deadline.