Legal Question in Business Law in Washington
Employment
Can an employer hold your last paycheck for any reason?
3 Answers from Attorneys
Re: Employment
A statute in Washington provides that wages must be paid when due and that double damages are available where wages are wilfully withheld.
Ryan
Re: Employment
It's usually viewed as kind of risky. You'd need to give your attorney more of the facts.
Re: Employment
Your employer can hold your paycheck until the next regular payday. In other words, you do not need to be paid any earlier than you otherwise would.
If the employer claims that an employee stole from the company during the final pay period, the employer can withhold up to the value of what was stolen but provided only that the amount paid to the employee must at least meet minimum wage.
If your employer is improperly holding your final paycheck, the Department of Labor & Industries may be able to help you with that.