Unpaid wages · 51 state guides · Updated Oct 2026

Get paid what you earned

Unpaid wages, missing overtime, a final paycheck that never came, illegal deductions or stolen tips: here is how to get your money back in your state, in plain English. Where to file, the deadlines, the minimum wage and what your employer may owe on top.

Pick your state

Tap a state to see its minimum wage, final-pay rule and where to file.

Wage-theft calculator

Work out what you should have been paid: at least the minimum wage for every hour, plus overtime. Then compare it with what you got.

If a higher city or county minimum wage applies where you work, enter that rate if it is more than you were promised.

Before taxes, if you know it. Leave it empty to see only what you were owed.

Choose your stateThe calculator uses your state’s minimum wage and overtime rules.

Tipped workers: this calculator does not count tips. In many states your employer may pay a lower cash wage if your tips make up the difference to the minimum wage; see your state’s page.

An estimate from the numbers you enter and your state’s rules, not legal advice. Nothing you type in this calculator is sent anywhere.

How a wage claim works

  1. Write down your hours and pay

    Keep a list of the dates and hours you worked, what you were promised and what you were actually paid. Save pay stubs, checks, texts and photos of schedules. Write down the employer's business name, address and the owner's or manager's name.

  2. Ask your employer in writing

    Send a short letter asking for the exact amount by a deadline. Many employers pay at this step, and in some states a written demand starts penalties or attorney-fee rules. Use our free demand letter.

  3. File with your state or the US Department of Labor

    Most states have a labor office that takes wage claims for free. The US Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division takes federal minimum wage and overtime complaints in every state: call 1-866-487-9243.

  4. What happens next

    The agency contacts your employer and may hold a conference or hearing, or investigate. If it finds you are owed money, it asks or orders the employer to pay. If it can't help, you can still go to court, including small claims court.

  5. Don't miss the deadline

    Under federal law you generally have 2 years to recover unpaid minimum wage or overtime, 3 if the violation was willful. Some state deadlines are much shorter, so file as soon as you can.

Ready to ask for your money? Write a demand letter to your employer in a few minutes, free.

Demand letter

Tools and guides

Minimum wage by state

2026 rates, tipped cash wages and the next increase.

Final paycheck laws

When your last check is due if you are fired or quit.

Deadlines by state

How long you have to file, and the limits on amounts.

Federal wage claims

US Department of Labor: your rights in every state.

How to file a wage claim

Step by step, from your records to a decision.

Unpaid overtime

Who gets overtime and how to work out what you are owed.

Final paycheck not received

What to do when your last check doesn't come.

All state guides

Alabama

Minimum wage $7.25 · Final pay if fired: No state deadline

US DOL (no state program)

Alaska

Minimum wage $14.00 · Final pay if fired: Within 3 working days

Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development

Arizona

Minimum wage $15.15 · Final pay if fired: See the rules

Industrial Commission of Arizona

Arkansas

Minimum wage $11.00 · Final pay if fired: Not confirmed

Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing

California

Minimum wage $16.90 · Final pay if fired: Immediately

Labor Commissioner's Office

Colorado

Minimum wage $15.16 · Final pay if fired: Immediately

Colorado Department of Labor and Employment

Connecticut

Minimum wage $16.94 · Final pay if fired: Next business day

Connecticut Department of Labor

Delaware

Minimum wage $15.00 · Final pay if fired: Payday or 3 business days

Delaware Department of Labor

District of Columbia

Minimum wage $18.40 · Final pay if fired: See the rules

DC Department of Employment Services

Florida

Minimum wage $15.00 · Final pay if fired: No state deadline

US DOL (no state program)

Georgia

Minimum wage $7.25 · Final pay if fired: No state deadline

US DOL (no state program)

Hawaii

Minimum wage $16.00 · Final pay if fired: Immediately

Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations

Idaho

Minimum wage $7.25 · Final pay if fired: Payday or 10 business days

Idaho Department of Labor

Illinois

Minimum wage $15.00 · Final pay if fired: See the rules

Illinois Department of Labor

Indiana

Minimum wage $7.25 · Final pay if fired: Next payday

Indiana Department of Labor

Iowa

Minimum wage $7.25 · Final pay if fired: Next payday

Iowa Department of Inspections

Kansas

Minimum wage $7.25 · Final pay if fired: Next payday

Kansas Department of Labor

Kentucky

Minimum wage $7.25 · Final pay if fired: Payday or 14 days

Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet

Louisiana

Minimum wage $7.25 · Final pay if fired: Payday or 15 days

US DOL (no state program)

Maine

Minimum wage $15.10 · Final pay if fired: Next payday

Maine Department of Labor

Maryland

Minimum wage $15.00 · Final pay if fired: See the rules

Maryland Department of Labor

Massachusetts

Minimum wage $15.00 · Final pay if fired: Immediately

Office of the Attorney General

Michigan

Minimum wage $13.73 · Final pay if fired: See the rules

Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity

Minnesota

Minimum wage $11.41 · Final pay if fired: See the rules

Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry

Mississippi

Minimum wage $7.25 · Final pay if fired: No state deadline

US DOL (no state program)

Missouri

Minimum wage $15.00 · Final pay if fired: Immediately

Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations

Montana

Minimum wage $10.85 · Final pay if fired: See the rules

Montana Department of Labor & Industry

Nebraska

Minimum wage $15.00 · Final pay if fired: Payday or 14 days

Nebraska Department of Labor

Nevada

Minimum wage $12.00 · Final pay if fired: Immediately

Nevada Office of the Labor Commissioner

New Hampshire

Minimum wage $7.25 · Final pay if fired: See the rules

New Hampshire Department of Labor

New Jersey

Minimum wage $15.92 · Final pay if fired: Next payday

New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development

New Mexico

Minimum wage $12.00 · Final pay if fired: Within 5 days

New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions

New York

Minimum wage $16.00 · Final pay if fired: Next payday

New York State Department of Labor

North Carolina

Minimum wage $7.25 · Final pay if fired: Next payday

North Carolina Department of Labor

North Dakota

Minimum wage $7.25 · Final pay if fired: Next payday

North Dakota Department of Labor and Human Rights

Ohio

Minimum wage $11.00 · Final pay if fired: No state deadline

Ohio Department of Commerce

Oklahoma

Minimum wage $7.25 · Final pay if fired: Next payday

Oklahoma Department of Labor

Oregon

Minimum wage $15.55 · Final pay if fired: Next business day

Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries

Pennsylvania

Minimum wage $7.25 · Final pay if fired: Next payday

Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry

Rhode Island

Minimum wage $16.00 · Final pay if fired: Next payday

Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training

South Carolina

Minimum wage $7.25 · Final pay if fired: See the rules

South Carolina Department of Labor

South Dakota

Minimum wage $11.85 · Final pay if fired: See the rules

South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation

Tennessee

Minimum wage $7.25 · Final pay if fired: Payday or 21 days

Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development

Texas

Minimum wage $7.25 · Final pay if fired: Within 6 days

Texas Workforce Commission

Utah

Minimum wage $7.25 · Final pay if fired: Within 24 hours

Utah Labor Commission

Vermont

Minimum wage $14.42 · Final pay if fired: Within 72 hours

Vermont Department of Labor

Virginia

Minimum wage $12.77 · Final pay if fired: Next payday

Virginia Department of Labor and Industry

Washington

Minimum wage $17.13 · Final pay if fired: See the rules

Washington State Department of Labor & Industries

West Virginia

Minimum wage $8.75 · Final pay if fired: Next payday

West Virginia Division of Labor

Wisconsin

Minimum wage $7.25 · Final pay if fired: See the rules

Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development

Wyoming

Minimum wage $7.25 · Final pay if fired: Next payday

Wyoming Department of Workforce Services

Common questions

Do I need a lawyer?

No. Filing a wage claim with your state labor office or a complaint with the US Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) is free, and you can do it yourself. WHD says all its services are free and confidential. A lawyer or legal aid office can help with large or complicated claims. Under federal law, a worker who sues and wins back wages can also recover attorney's fees and court costs, and many states have similar rules (US DOL: Handy Reference Guide to the FLSA).

Can I file if I'm undocumented?

Yes. The Wage and Hour Division says it enforces the law without regard to a worker's immigration status, and that its services are free and confidential whether you are documented or not. Federal law requires pay for work you have actually done (US DOL: Workers; Information you need to file; Fact Sheet #48). Some states say the same about their own wage laws; check your state's page.

Can my boss fire me for complaining?

Under federal law it is illegal to fire or punish a worker for filing a wage complaint or cooperating in an investigation. Complaints made orally or in writing are protected, and most courts have ruled that complaints to the employer are protected too. A worker who is retaliated against can file a complaint with WHD or sue for remedies such as getting the job back, lost wages and an equal amount as liquidated damages (Fact Sheet #77A). Many states have their own protections; see your state's page.

What if I was paid in cash?

Being paid in cash does not take away your right to the minimum wage and overtime. When you file, WHD asks how and when you were paid, for example in cash or by check, every Friday (US DOL: Information you need to file). Employers covered by federal law must keep records of their workers' hours and pay (Fact Sheet #21). Write down your own record of dates, hours and amounts as soon as you can.

Can I file anonymously?

WHD keeps complaints confidential: it may not disclose your name, what the complaint is about or whether a complaint exists (US DOL: How to file a complaint). When you file, WHD asks for your name and how to reach you, so it can work with you and pay you any back wages it recovers. Someone else can also contact WHD on your behalf as a third-party complainant (Third-party complaints). State agencies have their own rules.

How long do I have to file?

Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, generally 2 years to recover back wages and liquidated damages, or 3 years if the violation was willful (US DOL). State deadlines are different and some are much shorter; see the deadlines by state.