The 50-state file
The federal clocks (21 or 45 days to consider, 7 days to change your mind) are the same everywhere. Almost everything else is your state: when your last paycheck is legally due, whether a non-compete can follow you, and whether your layoff required state notice on top of the federal rule. Pick your state for the rules that shape your negotiation — every cell carries its citation.
| State | Non-competes | Your last paycheck | Layoff notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama Being double-checked | Restricted | No state final-paycheck law. | Federal WARN only |
| Alaska Being double-checked | Enforceable | If terminated by the employer, for any reason: all wages due within 3 working days after termination. | Federal WARN only |
| Arizona Being double-checked | Enforceable | Discharged (including laid off): pay all wages due within 7 working days or by the end of the next regular pay period, whichever… | Federal WARN only |
| Arkansas Being double-checked | Restricted | CONFLICT FLAGGED - see source. | Federal WARN only |
| California | Void (banned) | Discharged or laid off: wages earned and unpaid are due and payable IMMEDIATELY at discharge. | Yes — state mini-WARN |
| Colorado Being double-checked | Restricted | Terminated by the employer: wages/compensation earned, vested, determinable and unpaid are due and payable IMMEDIATELY. | Federal WARN only |
| Connecticut Being double-checked | Enforceable | Split rule: DISCHARGED employee - pay wages in full not later than the business day next succeeding the date of discharge. | Federal WARN only |
| Delaware Being double-checked | Enforceable | Whenever an employee quits, resigns, is discharged, suspended or laid off, wages earned become due and payable on the LATER of… | Yes — state mini-WARN |
| District of Columbia Being double-checked | Restricted | Discharged: pay wages earned not later than the working day following the discharge. | Federal WARN only |
| Florida Being double-checked | Enforceable | No state final-paycheck law. | Federal WARN only |
| Georgia Being double-checked | Restricted | No state final-paycheck law. | Federal WARN only |
| Hawaii Being double-checked | Restricted | Discharged, with or without cause: pay wages in full AT THE TIME OF DISCHARGE, or, if the discharge occurs at a time and under… | Yes — state mini-WARN |
| Idaho | Restricted | On layoff, or on termination by either the employer or the employee: pay or make available at the usual place of payment all… | Federal WARN only |
| Illinois | Restricted | Pay final compensation in full at separation if possible, and in no case later than the next regularly scheduled payday — same… | Yes — state mini-WARN |
| Indiana Being double-checked | Enforceable | When an employer separates an employee from the payroll, unpaid wages become due and payable at the regular payday for the pay… | Federal WARN only |
| Iowa Being double-checked | Enforceable | On suspension or termination, pay all wages earned (less lawful deductions) not later than the next regular payday for the pay… | Yes — state mini-WARN |
| Kansas Being double-checked | Enforceable | When an employer discharges an employee, or the employee quits/resigns, pay all earned wages not later than the next regular… | Federal WARN only |
| Kentucky Being double-checked | Enforceable | An employee who leaves or is discharged must be paid in full all wages or salary earned not later than the next normal pay period… | Federal WARN only |
| Louisiana Being double-checked | Restricted | On discharge or resignation, pay the amount then due under the terms of employment on or before the next regular payday, or… | Federal WARN only |
| Maine | Restricted | An employee leaving employment must be paid in full no later than the employee's next established payday. | Yes — state mini-WARN |
| Maryland Being double-checked | Restricted | Pay all wages due for work performed before termination on or before the day the employee would have been paid if employment had… | Yes — state mini-WARN |
| Massachusetts | Restricted | An employee discharged from employment must be paid in full ON THE DAY OF DISCHARGE. | Federal WARN only |
| Michigan Being double-checked | Enforceable | Statute: an employer must IMMEDIATELY pay a discharged employee all wages earned and due, as soon as the amount can with due… | Federal WARN only |
| Minnesota | Void (banned) | When an employer discharges an employee, wages and commissions actually earned and unpaid at discharge are immediately due and… | Federal WARN only |
| Mississippi Being double-checked | Enforceable | No state statute sets a final-paycheck deadline. | Federal WARN only |
| Missouri Being double-checked | Enforceable | All wages due are payable on the day of discharge (at the time of termination) if the employee is fired, laid off, or otherwise… | Federal WARN only |
| Montana Being double-checked | Restricted | When an employee is separated for cause or laid off, all unpaid wages are due and payable immediately upon separation… | Federal WARN only |
| Nebraska Being double-checked | Restricted | For a private (non-political-subdivision) employer, unpaid wages become due on the next regular payday or within two weeks of the… | Yes — state mini-WARN |
| Nevada Being double-checked | Restricted | If the employer discharges the employee, all wages and compensation earned and unpaid at discharge are due and payable… | Federal WARN only |
| New Hampshire Being double-checked | Restricted | Discharged employee: wages in full within 72 hours of discharge. | Yes — state mini-WARN |
| New Jersey Being double-checked | Enforceable | All wages due must be paid not later than the regular payday for the pay period during which the termination, suspension, or… | Yes — state mini-WARN |
| New Mexico Being double-checked | Enforceable | Discharged employee: unpaid wages that are a fixed and definite amount (not task, piece, commission, or other variable basis)… | Federal WARN only |
| New York Being double-checked | Enforceable | A terminated (fired, laid off, or quit) employee must be paid all remaining wages no later than the regular payday for the pay… | Yes — state mini-WARN |
| North Carolina Being double-checked | Enforceable | Employees whose employment is discontinued for any reason must be paid all wages due on or before the next regular payday,… | Federal WARN only |
| North Dakota Being double-checked | Void (banned) | A separated employee (fired or quit — same rule) must be paid all due wages on the next regularly scheduled payday; two secondary… | Federal WARN only |
| Ohio Being double-checked | Enforceable | Ohio has no separate final-paycheck deadline: the semi-monthly statute requires wages for the first half of a month to be paid on… | Yes — state mini-WARN |
| Oklahoma Being double-checked | Void (banned) | Whenever an employee's employment terminates (fired, laid off, or quit — same rule), the employer must pay wages in full — less… | Federal WARN only |
| Oregon | Restricted | When an employer discharges an employee (or employment ends by mutual agreement), all wages earned and unpaid become due and… | Federal WARN only |
| Pennsylvania Being double-checked | Restricted | Fired, laid off, quit or resigned: all wages earned are due no later than the next regular payday on which they would otherwise… | Federal WARN only |
| Rhode Island Being double-checked | Restricted | Quit or fired: all unpaid wages due on the next regular payday after separation. | Federal WARN only |
| South Carolina Being double-checked | Enforceable | Separated for any reason (fired, laid off or quit): pay all wages due within 48 hours of separation or by the next regular… | Federal WARN only |
| South Dakota Being double-checked | Restricted | Fired, quit or separated: pay all wages due by the next regular payday — or as soon after that as the employee returns all… | Federal WARN only |
| Tennessee Being double-checked | Restricted | Quit or discharged: pay in full all wages/salary earned no later than the next regular payday following separation OR 21 days… | Yes — state mini-WARN |
| Texas Being double-checked | Enforceable | Involuntarily separated — laid off, discharged or fired: pay in full no later than the 6th calendar day after discharge. | Federal WARN only |
| Utah Being double-checked | Restricted | Separated by the employer (fired or laid off): unpaid wages become due immediately and must be paid within 24 hours of separation… | Federal WARN only |
| Vermont Being double-checked | Enforceable | Discharged from employment: pay within 72 hours of discharge. | Yes — state mini-WARN |
| Virginia Being double-checked | Restricted | Terminated or resigned (no distinction): pay all wages or salaries earned on or before the next regular payday following… | Federal WARN only |
| Washington | Restricted | Ceases to work for any reason — discharge or voluntary withdrawal: wages due must be paid at the end of the established pay… | Yes — state mini-WARN |
| West Virginia Being double-checked | Enforceable | Current code: whenever an employer discharges an employee, or an employee quits or resigns, pay the wages due for work performed… | Federal WARN only |
| Wisconsin | Restricted | Employee (other than a commission sales agent) without a definite-period written contract who quits or is discharged: pay in full… | Yes — state mini-WARN |
| Wyoming | Void (banned) | Employee who quits or is discharged: pay whatever wages are due no later than the employer's usual practice on regularly… | Federal WARN only |
Cells marked "Being double-checked" were researched from secondary sources and are being re-verified against the official text; the citation on each state page is the authority. Federal baseline everywhere: 29 U.S.C. § 626(f) (workers 40+) and the WARN Act, 29 U.S.C. §§ 2101–2109 (layoff notice).
Included in the $49 SeveranceDecoded Kit
One payment. Yours to keep. Works for any severance agreement, any state.