Payday and the Last Paycheck
K.S.A. 44-315 — the final wages by the next regular payday, and a penalty of 1% a day after the eighth day, up to 100%
Every employer pays all wages due at least once each calendar month, on regular paydays set in advance, in cash, a check good in the community, direct deposit to an account the employee picks, or a payroll card.
Who handles this in Kansas: legal aid programs, lawyer referral and the state offices, listed in the Kansas directory.
- An employer that pays only by direct deposit offers another way for an employee who does not name an account.
- A payroll card allows at least one free withdrawal of the full net pay each pay period.
- No fee may be charged to receive wages on a payroll card, apart from replacing a lost, stolen or damaged card.
Whether the employee is fired or quits, the earned wages are paid no later than the next regular payday, through the usual channel or by mail if the employee asks.
Willful nonpayment. An employer who willfully fails to pay owes the wages plus a penalty of 1% of the unpaid wages for each day, except Sundays and legal holidays, that the failure goes on after the eighth day, or 100% of the unpaid wages, whichever is less.
Sources for this section (2)
- K.S.A. 44-314 — Pay periods; payment methods
- K.S.A. 44-315 — Separation prior to payday; damages for willful non-payment
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Kansas attorney.