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 Utah, the state's payday laws are outlined in the Utah Payment of Wages Act (Utah Code Ann. §§ 34-28-1 to 34-28-10). According to these laws, employers are generally required to pay employees at least semimonthly (twice a month) unless otherwise specified by a written contract. For employees who are fired or terminated, employers must pay any unpaid wages within 24 hours of the time of separation. However, if the employee quits or resigns, the employer must pay the final wages on the next regular payday or within 24 hours if the employee gives at least one pay period's notice of resignation. These regulations ensure that employees receive their earned wages in a timely manner and provide clear guidelines for the final payment of wages upon termination of employment.