The Louisiana final paycheck law sets the deadline for your final paycheck: within 15 days or by the next regular payday, whichever comes first if your employer ended the job, and on or before the next regular payday for the pay cycle you were working in, or within 15 days of the resignation, whichever comes first if you quit.
This guide gives the exact Louisiana final paycheck law deadline with the date we verified it, what the employer owes if the check is late, whether your unused vacation must be paid, and how to file a wage claim. Rules verified against the statute on 2026-10-08; confirm the current rule with Louisiana Workforce Commission (no state wage-claim process; claims go to court) or an attorney before you rely on it.
Louisiana Final Paycheck Law at a Glance
| If you were fired | Within 15 days or by the next regular payday, whichever comes first |
| If you quit | On or before the next regular payday for the pay cycle you were working in, or within 15 days of the resignation, whichever comes first |
| If you were laid off | Within 15 days or by the next regular payday, whichever comes first |
| Statute | La. Rev. Stat. 23:631 |
| Penalty for a late check | Penalty wages for up to 90 days (or until paid) plus attorney fees after a demand (23:632) |
| Unused vacation owed? | Yes — accrued vacation must be paid out |
| Where to file a wage claim | Louisiana Workforce Commission (no state wage-claim process; claims go to court) |
In This Louisiana Final Paycheck Law Guide:
The Louisiana Final Paycheck Law Deadline
If the employer fires you or lays you off, the Louisiana final paycheck law sets the due date like this: within 15 days or by the next regular payday, whichever comes first (La. Rev. Stat. 23:631). Under R.S. 23:631(D), a commission, incentive payment or bonus is part of the final pay due if it was earned at separation and had not been changed under a written policy.
An employer may adopt a written policy saying a commission is not earned until the employer receives the payment it is based on, so check the written commission policy.
Enter your last day and how the job ended, and get the exact Louisiana due date, the statute and the penalty if it is late.
Louisiana Final Paycheck Law at a Glance
Rules verified against the statute on 2026-10-08; confirm the current rule with Louisiana Workforce Commission (no state wage-claim process; claims go to court) or an attorney before you rely on it. The statute row is where to check it yourself.
| Deadline if fired | Within 15 days or by the next regular payday, whichever comes first |
| Deadline if quit | On or before the next regular payday for the pay cycle you were working in, or within 15 days of the resignation, whichever comes first |
| Deadline if laid off | Within 15 days or by the next regular payday, whichever comes first |
| Statute | La. Rev. Stat. 23:631 |
| Late-payment penalty | Penalty wages for up to 90 days (or until paid) plus attorney fees after a demand (23:632) |
| Unused vacation / PTO | Yes — accrued vacation must be paid out |
| PTO rule | Accrued vacation is an amount due if the employer’s stated policy made you eligible and you had accrued the right to take it and had not yet taken or been paid for it (23:631(D)). |
| Deductions allowed | Under R.S. 23:635, a Louisiana employer generally may not fine a worker or take fines out of wages. |
| Wage-claim agency | Louisiana Workforce Commission (no state wage-claim process; claims go to court) |
| File a wage claim | https://www.laworks.net/ |
Louisiana Final Paycheck Law If You Quit
If you quit, the Louisiana final paycheck law rule is: on or before the next regular payday for the pay cycle you were working in, or within 15 days of the resignation, whichever comes first. The final paycheck covers wages already earned, and R.S. 23:631 requires it whether the worker was fired, laid off or quit.
Louisiana law generally does not require severance; it is owed only if a contract, written policy or agreement promises it. The final check may be paid the same way as your regular pay; ask for a paper check if you have closed the account.
Unused Vacation and PTO Under Louisiana Final Paycheck Law
Accrued vacation is an amount due if the employer’s stated policy made you eligible and you had accrued the right to take it and had not yet taken or been paid for it (23:631(D)). A policy cannot take away vacation the law treats as earned wages.
What the Louisiana Final Paycheck Law Does If the Check Is Late
The penalty is the lever: penalty wages for up to 90 days (or until paid) plus attorney fees after a demand (23:632). Under R.S. 23:631(B), if there is a real dispute over how much is owed, the employer may hold only the disputed part and must still pay the undisputed part on time. A deduction for damage or theft is allowed only within the narrow limits of R.S.
23:635, and earned wages cannot be forfeited by contract under R.S. 23:634.
What Can Be Deducted From a Final Check in Louisiana
Under R.S. 23:635, a Louisiana employer generally may not fine a worker or take fines out of wages. The exceptions are when the worker willfully or negligently damaged goods, work or employer property, or was convicted of or pleaded guilty to stealing employer funds. Even then, the deduction cannot exceed the actual damage. R.S. 23:634 also bars contracts that make a worker forfeit earned wages on discharge or resignation.
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How to File a Wage Claim Under the Louisiana Final Paycheck Law
The Louisiana Workforce Commission does not run a formal wage-claim process for unpaid final pay, so final wages under R.S. 23:631 are mostly enforced through a written demand to the employer and then a lawsuit. Most workers start by sending the employer a dated written demand for the wages owed. They keep copies of pay stubs, timesheets, the separation date and any commission or bonus policy. Under Civil Code art.
3494, claims for unpaid wages generally prescribe in 3 years, but confirm the deadline with the court or an attorney.
If the employer still does not pay after the written demand, the worker may file suit in district court, or in small claims court for smaller amounts, under R.S. 23:631(B). The court can order payment of the wages owed. If the employer disputes part of the amount, it must still pay the part it does not dispute.
A Louisiana worker may generally sue for unpaid final wages in the small claims division of a city court, where the limit is 5000, not counting interest, court costs, attorney fees and penalties (R.S. 13:5202). Larger claims go to district court.
Other Louisiana Final Paycheck Law Rules to Know
Act 113 of 2025 added R.S. 23:631(F), effective August 1, 2025. It excludes profits interests granted by an entity taxed as a partnership from the final-pay requirement, even when the person holding them was an employee. Wages earned under a collective bargaining agreement may follow that agreement’s timing instead of the standard rule.
Think your employer owes you money or broke the law?
You do not need a lawyer to file a wage claim: Louisiana Workforce Commission (no state wage-claim process; claims go to court) takes the complaint for free and can order the employer to pay. If the amount is large or the employer has a history, an employment attorney can take the case — the state bar referral service is the place to start.
Louisiana — the bottom line
- The Louisiana final paycheck law sets a deadline that runs from your last day: within 15 days or by the next regular payday, whichever comes first if the employer ended the job.
- Under the Louisiana final paycheck law, a late check costs the employer — the penalty is the lever that makes a wage claim worth filing.
- The Louisiana final paycheck law treats unused vacation as wages that must be paid out; check the policy, then the statute.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is my final paycheck due in Louisiana if I was fired?
Under the Louisiana final paycheck law, within 15 days or by the next regular payday, whichever comes first.
When is my final paycheck due in Louisiana if I quit?
On or before the next regular payday for the pay cycle you were working in, or within 15 days of the resignation, whichever comes first
Does Louisiana have to pay out my unused vacation?
Accrued vacation is an amount due if the employer’s stated policy made you eligible and you had accrued the right to take it and had not yet taken or been paid for it (23:631(D)).
What happens if a Louisiana employer pays the final check late?
Penalty wages for up to 90 days (or until paid) plus attorney fees after a demand (23:632)
How do I file a wage claim in Louisiana?
The Louisiana Workforce Commission does not run a formal wage-claim process for unpaid final pay, so final wages under R.S. 23:631 are mostly enforced through a written demand to the employer and then a lawsuit.
Official Louisiana Sources & Resources
- Louisiana Workforce Commission (no state wage-claim process; claims go to court): https://www.laworks.net/
- Louisiana final-pay statute (La. Rev. Stat. 23:631): https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=83945
- Verified source: https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=155771
- U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division — state payday requirements: dol.gov
This Louisiana final paycheck law guide was last verified against official Louisiana sources in October 2026. Rules change — confirm the current figure with the state agency or a licensed attorney.
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Disclaimer: This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. My Unemployment Rights is an independent educational resource, not a government agency and not a law firm. Final-paycheck deadlines, penalties and non compete rules change — every figure here carries the date we verified it. Confirm the current rule with your state labor department or a licensed attorney before you act.