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Final Paycheck Laws in Pennsylvania

In Pennsylvania, final wages are due by the next regular payday whether the employee is fired or quits, and vacation pay is owed when the employer's policy or agreement provides for it.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Pennsylvania at a glance

Deadline if fired
Next regular payday
Deadline if employee quits
Next regular payday
Accrued vacation paid out
Only if policy or agreement provides it
Vacation pay is a fringe benefit counted as wages under the Wage Payment and Collection Law when the employer has agreed to provide it.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Pennsylvania

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

Deadline if fired in Pennsylvania: Next regular payday.

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

Deadline if employee quits in Pennsylvania: Next regular payday.

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

Only if policy or agreement provides it. Accrued vacation paid out in Pennsylvania: only if policy or agreement provides it. Vacation pay is a fringe benefit counted as wages under the Wage Payment and Collection Law when the employer has agreed to provide it.

Where do the Pennsylvania final paycheck laws come from?

The rules above come from 43 P.S. 260.5 and 43 P.S. 260.2a. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

Good to know

If the employee asks, the final payment must be made by certified mail.

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.