Massachusetts Final Paycheck Law

Massachusetts is one of the strict states. Under M.G.L. c. 149, 148, an employee you terminate must be paid on the day of discharge; someone who resigns gets more room. In full: Fired: immediately on the day of discharge. Quit: next regular payday. Late pay exposes the employer to treble damages. Massachusetts courts award treble damages on late final pay, so a $2,000 check paid a week late can become a $6,000 judgment plus fees. Pick the separation type, enter the last day and your next payday, and the calculator returns the latest date you can legally pay. Accrued PTO payout is a separate Massachusetts rule and is not included. Related: the Massachusetts minimum wage, the HR compliance risk check for the termination process, and the all-state calculator. Nearby: Connecticut, New Hampshire and Rhode Island.