The deadline, and what it depends on
It depends only on your last day, not on your pay schedule — the clock starts when the job ends.
An employee who quits after giving at least one full pay period's notice must be paid within 72 hours, like a discharged employee; without that notice it is the next regular payday. A layoff also follows the next payday. Liquidated damages apply only where the employer failed to pay willfully and without good cause. A negative balance on a draw against commission cannot be recovered from you.
If you were fired vs if you quit
- Fired or laid off: Within 72 hours.
- You quit: By your next regularly scheduled payday. The date depends on your pay schedule, not on when you left.
Unused PTO — is it owed?
Only if your employer's written policy or agreement promises it. Vacation, severance, personal days, holiday and sick pay count as wages in New Hampshire when they are a matter of employment practice or policy — so where the policy provides them, they are due with your final pay. Check your handbook or offer letter for what it promises.
What happens if they are late
Liquidated damages of 10% of the unpaid wages for each day except Sundays and legal holidays the payment is late, up to an amount equal to the unpaid wages.
How to file a claim in New Hampshire
File a wage claim with the New Hampshire Department of Labor within 36 months of the wages becoming due — a wage claim, not the informal wage complaint, is what produces a decision and an order to pay. Filing is free, and you do not need a lawyer.
- Ask in writing first. Email creates a dated record.
- Send a short demand letter naming the amount, the deadline, and any penalty that applies in New Hampshire.
- File the wage claim. Keep copies of pay stubs and your schedule — the time card calculator can total the unpaid hours for you.
New Hampshire final paycheck: common questions
Can they hold my last check until I return my equipment?
No. In New Hampshire your final wages are due by the deadline on this page whether or not you have returned a laptop, uniform or keys. Your employer can ask for the equipment back or pursue its cost separately, but federal law bars deductions for it that would cut your pay below minimum wage or eat into overtime.
Do I get paid for unused vacation?
Only if your employer's written policy or agreement promises it. Vacation, severance, personal days, holiday and sick pay count as wages in New Hampshire when they are a matter of employment practice or policy — so where the policy provides them, they are due with your final pay. Check your handbook or offer letter for what it promises.
What if I quit without notice?
No. Quitting without notice does not forfeit anything you earned in New Hampshire. Your final pay is due by your next regular payday, exactly as if you had given notice. Notice only changes the timing, and only where state law says so.
When is my final paycheck due in New Hampshire if I am fired?
Within 72 hours. Everything you earned is due on that deadline, along with any unused vacation your state or your policy makes payable. If it arrives late, the section on penalties above explains what follows. Keep a note of the day you left and the day the check actually arrives, in case you need to file a claim.
What happens if my final paycheck is late in New Hampshire?
Liquidated damages of 10% of the unpaid wages for each day except Sundays and legal holidays the payment is late, up to an amount equal to the unpaid wages. File a wage claim with the New Hampshire Department of Labor within 36 months of the wages becoming due — a wage claim, not the informal wage complaint, is what produces a decision and an order to pay.
Spotted something wrong? Report an error.
New Hampshire overtime rules and calculator →
Other states that also give the employer a fixed number of days: Alaska, Connecticut and District of Columbia.
Worked across a state line? Maine final paycheck law and Massachusetts final paycheck law.