The deadline, and what it depends on
By your next regularly scheduled payday. The date depends on your pay schedule, not on when you were let go.
It depends on your pay schedule, not on the day you left. Two people who leave on the same day can have deadlines a week or more apart.
The statute sets the deadline at the end of the established pay period, and L&I applies it as on or before the next regularly scheduled payday. Employers cannot withhold a final paycheck because keys, uniforms, tools or equipment were not returned.
What “next regular payday” means
“Next regular payday” means the next date your employer would normally have paid you had you stayed. It is not a fixed number of days: paid weekly, it is at most a week away; paid monthly, it can be a month.
That is why the calculator asks for your pay schedule first. Take any recent payday from a pay stub and it works out the date for you.
Unused PTO — is it owed?
Only if your employer's written policy or agreement promises it. Washington treats severance, personal holidays and vacation as voluntary benefits. An employer can choose to pay them out on the final paycheck; if an agreed-upon benefit is not paid, the route is an attorney or small claims court. Check your handbook or offer letter for what it promises.
What happens if they are late
If the employer withheld wages willfully and with intent to deprive you of them, a court can award twice the amount withheld, plus costs and attorney's fees (RCW 49.52.070).
How to file a claim in Washington
File a Workplace Rights Complaint with Washington L&I. 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 Washington.
- File the wage claim. Keep copies of pay stubs and your schedule — the time card calculator can total the unpaid hours for you.
Washington final paycheck: common questions
Can they hold my last check until I return my equipment?
No. In Washington 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. Washington treats severance, personal holidays and vacation as voluntary benefits. An employer can choose to pay them out on the final paycheck; if an agreed-upon benefit is not paid, the route is an attorney or small claims court. 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 Washington. 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 Washington if I am fired?
By your next regularly scheduled payday. The date depends on your pay schedule, not on when you were let go. Everything you earned is due on that deadline, along with any unused vacation your state or your policy makes payable.
What happens if my final paycheck is late in Washington?
If the employer withheld wages willfully and with intent to deprive you of them, a court can award twice the amount withheld, plus costs and attorney's fees (RCW 49.52.070). File a Workplace Rights Complaint with Washington L&I. Filing a claim is free, and you do not need a lawyer.
Spotted something wrong? Report an error.
Washington overtime rules and calculator →
Other states that also tie the deadline to your next payday: Illinois, Maryland and New Jersey.
Worked across a state line? Oregon final paycheck law.