California’s final-pay rules are strict. If you are fired/laid off, your employer must pay all wages due immediately on termination day. If you quit, your final wages are due on your last day if you gave at least 72 hours’ notice, or within 72 hours if you did not. “All wages” generally includes earned but unused vacation/PTO. When the paycheck is late and the failure is “willful,” the law can impose waiting time penalties, which means your wages keep “continuing” as a penalty up to 30 calendar days.
What often moves the needle fastest is a clean paper trail: send a short written demand confirming your last day worked, where you want payment delivered/mailed, and that you’re requesting all wages due.
Reach out to Attorney 4 Employment Rights. We can quickly assess what your final paycheck should include, calculate potential waiting-time penalties, help preserve evidence, and map the strongest next step.
