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 Washington State, employers are required to establish a regular payday and are required to pay their employees at least once a month. Employers must also provide a pay statement with each payment of wages that details the basis on which wages are paid, the number of hours worked, and any deductions made. When an employee is terminated or quits, Washington law stipulates that the final paycheck must be provided on the next regularly scheduled payday following the termination. However, if an employee who has been fired or laid off requests their final paycheck in writing, the employer must pay all final wages within 48 hours or by the end of the next business day. The specific regulations governing the payment of wages and final paychecks in Washington are outlined in the Revised Code of Washington (RCW), particularly in Title 49 which covers labor regulations.