When your job ends, you have the right to be paid for all of the work you've done. Whether you quit, you were laid off, or you were fired, your employer must give you a final paycheck that includes all of the wages you have earned. The deadlines and contents of your check depend on Washington D.C. law.
When Is Your Final Paycheck Due?
Federal law does not set a deadline for your final paycheck. But some states require employers to pay your final paycheck within a set number of days after termination or resignation. And, these deadlines sometimes differ depending on whether you were fired or resigned.
If you are fired or otherwise let go by your employer in Washington D.C., your employer must pay your final paycheck no later than the working day following the termination, unless your job involved responsibility for the employer's money. In that case, your employer must pay your final paycheck within four days after the termination so that the employer can check the accuracy of the accounts you handled.
If you quit your job in Washington D.C., your employer must pay your final paycheck on the next regular payday or within seven days after you gave notice of quitting, whichever is earlier.
What Must Your Final Paycheck Include?
Regardless of any deadlines, your employer must pay you all wages you earned. In some states, this includes any accrued vacation time that you haven't used yet; in others, it does not.
Your District of Columbia employer must include your accrued vacation pay in your final paycheck, unless you have agreed otherwise.
If you believe a former employer has not paid you all wages you earned, see How Can I Find a Wage and Hour Lawyer in Washington D.C.?