State Pay Frequency and Lag Time Requirements: New Quick Reference Chart Added

Author: Rena Pirsos, XpertHR Legal Editor

The Fair Labor Standards Act and the Internal Revenue Code do not specify how often or how soon employees must be paid after they perform services for an employer. These issues are governed by the individual state wage payment laws. While most state wage payment laws require an employer to choose from among the pay periods included in the federal withholding tables, some states dictate the pay period(s) employers may use and/or require employers in certain industries to use a different pay period. Many states also allow employers to lag their payrolls until a set period of time after the end of a pay period.

Because an employer that fails to pay employees on time may be subject to significant state penalties and fines, XpertHR has added a new State Pay Frequency and Lag Time Requirements - Chart to the Quick Reference Tool summarizing state requirements regarding pay frequency, lag time and noncompliance penalties.

Additional Resources

Payroll > Payment of Wages > State Requirements