If you’ve ever been fired, you’ve probably wondered when you would receive your last paycheck. Companies are obligated to make sure that all departing employees are paid their final wages in an expeditious manner. Many states have statues regarding how long an employer has before he is required to issue the final paycheck of a terminated employee.

Below is a list of those states and their statue for issuing your final check. This list is not meant to take the place of legal advice. You should verify that the statues in your state have not changed. In the situations below, separation refers to the employee being fired. In some cases, the state specifically addresses laid off employees. In most cases if you quit, the employer has until the next scheduled payday to issue your final check unless otherwise noted.

Alaska - Employer must issue check within three working days.

Arizona – Employer must issue check within three working days or at the end of the next regular pay period whichever comes first.

Arkansas - Employer must issue check within seven days.

California – Employer must issue check immediately. If you quit, payment must be within 72 hours.

Colorado – Employer must issue check immediately, unless payroll office is closed.

Connecticut – Employer must issue check on the next business day after separation.

Delaware – Employer must issue check on the next scheduled payday.

District of Columbia – Employer must issue check no later than the next business day. If you resign either the next regular payday or within seven days whichever comes first.

Hawaii – Employer must issue check at the time of separation. If not possible, must pay the next business day.

Idaho – Employer must issue check the next regular payday, or within ten days of separation, whichever comes first.

Illinois – Employer must issue check the next regular payday.

Indiana – Employer must issue check on the next regular payday.

Iowa – Employer must issue check on the next regular payday.

Kansas - Employer must issue check on the next regular payday.

Kentucky - Employer must issue check no later than next regular payday or within fourteen days whichever is later.

Louisiana – Employer must issue check no later than next regular payday or within fifteen days whichever comes first.

Maine – Employer must issue check on next regular payday.

Maryland – Employer must issue check on next regular payday.

Massachusetts – Employer must issue check on the day of separation.

Michigan – Employer must issue check on next regular payday.

Minnesota – Employer must issue check on the day of separation

Missouri – Employer must issue check on the day of separation.

Montana – Employer must issue check immediately if employee is laid off or separated. Employer may request fifteen day extension if made in writing or next payday whichever comes first.

Nebraska - Employer must issue check on next regular payday or within two weeks, whichever comes first.

Nevada – Employer must issue check immediately. If you quit, within seven days or next payday which ever comes first.

New Hampshire - Employer must issue check within seventy-two hours. If employee is laid off must issue check by next payday.

New Jersey – Employer must issue check on next regular payday.

New Mexico – Employer must issue check within five days.

New York – Employer must issue check on next regular payday.

North Carolina – Employer must issue check on next regular payday.

North Dakota – Employer must issue check on next regular payday or within fifteen days whichever comes first.

Oklahoma – Employer must issue check on next regular payday.

Oregon – Employer must issue check by the end of the first business day after separation

Pennsylvania - Employer must issue check on next regular payday.

Rhode Island - Employer must issue check on next regular payday.

South Carolina – Employer must issue check within forty-eight hours or next payday within thirty days.

South Dakota – Employer must issue check as soon as all company property being held by the employee is returned.

Tennessee - Employer must issue check on next regular payday or within twenty-one days whichever is later.

Texas – Employer must issue check by the sixth day of separation.

Utah – Employer must issue check within twenty-four hours of separation.

Vermont – Employer must issue check within seventy-two hours of separation.

Virginia – Employer must issue check on next regular payday.

Washington – Employer must issue check at the end of the next pay period.

West Virginia - Employer must issue check within seventy-two hours of separation.

Wisconsin - Employer must issue check on next regular payday.

Wyoming – Employer must issue check within five working days.