Most states have laws that require employers to pay employees their wages with some minimum frequency—usually either twice a month (semi-monthly) or every other week (bi-weekly)—and some states require weekly or monthly payment of wages.

These laws are known as payday laws and also dictate when an employee who has been fired/terminated or quit must be paid their final paycheck—in some states, immediately; in some states within a certain number of days; and in some states on the next regularly-scheduled payday.

Payday laws vary from state to state and are usually included in a state’s statutes—often in the labor code or other statutes governing employer-employee relations.

In Colorado, employers are required to pay their employees at least once a month or at intervals of no greater than 30 days, whichever is longer, according to the Colorado Wage Act. Employers may establish regular paydays, but if none are established, paydays must be no more than 30 days apart and on regular dates. When an employee is terminated or discharged, Colorado law mandates that the final paycheck must be given immediately at the time of termination, unless the employer's accounting unit is not regularly scheduled to be operational at that time, in which case the paycheck must be made available within six hours of the start of the employer's accounting unit's next regular workday. If the accounting unit is located offsite, the final paycheck must be delivered within 24 hours. For employees who resign, the final paycheck is due on the next regular payday. These regulations ensure that employees receive timely payment for their work and that their final wages are promptly delivered upon the end of employment.