Pennsylvania Final Pay Timing
Wages earned before a separation are due by the next regular payday.
The rule
Section 5 of the Pennsylvania Wage Payment and Collection Law says that when an employer separates an employee from the payroll, or the employee quits or resigns, wages earned are due not later than the next regular payday on which those wages would otherwise be due. If the employee asks, that payment is made by certified mail. The Department's wage FAQ states the same deadline for a quit, a layoff, or a firing: all money earned, by the next scheduled payday.
A regular payday is designated in advance. The wait from the end of the pay period to payday cannot be longer than the written contract, the usual time in the trade, or 15 days. Overtime may be paid in the next pay period. At hiring, the employer tells the employee the time and place of payment, the rate, and any fringe benefits or wage supplements.
The Department's LLC-2 summary says that if wages stay unpaid for 30 days past the regular payday, the employee may claim liquidated damages of 25 percent of the unpaid wages or $500, whichever is greater.
What employers must do
Pay earned wages by the next regular payday after a separation, whether the associate quit, was laid off, or was fired. Send the check by certified mail if the associate asks. Do not stretch the gap between the end of the pay period and payday past the contract, the trade custom, or 15 days. Give the hire notice of time, place, rate, and fringe benefits.
Effective dates
Section 5 has been the separation rule since the 1977 amendment on the statute the Department posts. The FAQ and the LLC-2 summary were the pages reviewed on November 7, 2026. No later deadline was on those pages.
What this means for BOSS partners and associates
Tell BOSS as soon as a Pennsylvania assignment ends so the last wages can go out on the next payday that would have applied. Do not hold the final pay past that payday. Associates should keep the timesheet current through the last day worked.
Questions? Contact BOSS Support at support@backofficenow.com.
Sources
This article is general information, not legal advice. Laws change; check with BOSS Support or your own counsel for your situation.