Time for Regular Payment of Wages. Most employees must be paid wages twice each calendar month, with certain exceptions. For example, exempt employees may be paid monthly. Wages earned between the 1st and the 15th of the month must be paid between the 16th and the 26th of the month; wages earned between the 16th and the end of the month must be paid between the 1st and the 10th of the month. Employers may apply neutral "rounding policies" so long as the policy does not result in underpayment or overpayment.
Time for Post-Termination Payment of Wages (Final Paycheck). Labor Code section 201 requires that, in most circumstances, discharged employees must be paid immediately upon discharge for "all compensation due and owing." Labor Code section 202 provides for payment within 72 hours for employees that resign, although payment is due at the time of quitting where at least 72 hours' notice has been provided. Labor Code section 203 allows an employee to recover "waiting time penalties" for each day that an employer fails to pay an employee's last wages.