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Final Paycheck Laws in Louisiana

In Louisiana, final wages are due by the next regular payday or within 15 days, whichever comes first, for both fired and resigning employees, and earned vacation under the employer's policy must be paid.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Louisiana at a glance

Deadline if fired
Earlier of next payday or 15 days
Deadline if employee quits
Earlier of next payday or 15 days
Accrued vacation paid out
Yes, earned vacation under the policy
Vacation is due if the employee is eligible and has accrued it under the employer's stated policy; earned vacation cannot be forfeited.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Louisiana

When is a final paycheck due in Louisiana if the employee is fired or laid off?

Deadline if fired in Louisiana: Earlier of next payday or 15 days.

When is a final paycheck due in Louisiana if the employee quits?

Deadline if employee quits in Louisiana: Earlier of next payday or 15 days.

Does Louisiana law require employers to pay out accrued vacation when a job ends?

Yes, earned vacation under the policy. Accrued vacation paid out in Louisiana: yes, earned vacation under the policy. Vacation is due if the employee is eligible and has accrued it under the employer's stated policy; earned vacation cannot be forfeited.

Where do the Louisiana final paycheck laws come from?

The rules above come from La. R.S. 23:631. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

Good to know

R.S. 23:631 was most recently amended by Acts 2024, No. 556 (eff. August 1, 2024) and Acts 2025, No. 113 (eff. August 1, 2025). The current text sets the deadlines above.

A collective bargaining agreement that provides otherwise controls over these deadlines.

What this means in practice

Note the exact last day of work and how the job ended, since the deadline often runs from that date and may differ for a firing, a layoff or a resignation. Some statutes also change the deadline when an employee quits without giving notice.

Read the employer's written vacation or paid time off policy and any employment contract. Where state law leaves vacation payout to the employer, the policy terms usually decide whether unused time is paid out or forfeited.

If a final paycheck is late or short, the state labor department usually accepts wage claims, often without a lawyer. Some statutes add penalties for late payment, such as extra daily wages, so keep pay stubs, timesheets and any written communication about the final pay.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.