Oregon final paycheck deadlines for employers
Reviewed Sep 27, 2026 4 official sources How we verify
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The answer
Fired or laid off: end of the next business day
The Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) summarizes ORS 652.140 this way: a discharge or layoff makes the final check due by the end of the following business day. A worker who quits with at least 48 hours of notice (weekends and holidays not counted) is paid on the last day worked; with shorter notice, the deadline is the earlier of five business days or the next scheduled payday. (Oregon BOLI, Paychecks (ORS 652.110 to 652.150))
“If you are let go or fired, your final paycheck is due by the end of the next business day.”
Oregon final pay date calculator
What it means for Oregon employers
Oregon counts in business days, not calendar days, and that detail decides most real cases. Letting someone go late on a Friday gives payroll the whole of Monday to deliver the check; letting someone go on a Monday leaves only until the end of Tuesday. (Oregon BOLI, Paychecks (ORS 652.140))
A separation both sides agree on is treated like a discharge for timing purposes. BOLI says a mutual agreement to end the relationship puts the check due by the end of the following business day as well. (Oregon BOLI, Paychecks (ORS 652.140))
Notice is measured in hours and excludes weekends and holidays. Forty-eight hours given on a Friday afternoon therefore does not expire until Tuesday afternoon. When the notice is long enough and the last day lands on a Saturday, Sunday or holiday, the check moves to the next business day. (Oregon BOLI, Paychecks (ORS 652.140))
For a short-notice quit, run two dates and pay by the earlier one: the fifth business day after the last day, and the next scheduled payday. Oregon paydays can be up to 35 days apart under ORS 652.120, so the five day limit usually controls for monthly payrolls. (Oregon BOLI, Paychecks (ORS 652.110 to 652.150))
BOLI also says an employer may not withhold or delay a paycheck as discipline or to force the return of company property held by the worker. Deductions are lawful only when required by law or voluntarily authorized in writing for the worker's benefit, and each deduction has to appear on the pay statement. (Oregon BOLI, Paychecks (ORS 652.140))
Accrued vacation is not required by Oregon law, but BOLI says an employer has to honor any established policy or agreement on paying it out at termination; a worker who qualifies under the policy is paid it with the final wages. (Oregon BOLI, Benefits, holiday and vacation pay)
Penalties and liability
Penalty wages (ORS 652.150): BOLI states that late final wages can cost eight times the employee's regular hourly rate for each day they go unpaid, for up to 30 days. For a worker earning $22 an hour, that is $176 a day and at most $5,280. (Oregon BOLI, Paychecks (ORS 652.110 to 652.150))
With certain exceptions, BOLI says the employer can limit that liability to 100 percent of the unpaid wages by paying within 12 days after written notice from the employee that wages are still owed. (Oregon BOLI, Paychecks (ORS 652.140))
BOLI may also impose a civil penalty of $1,000, payable to the state, plus costs, interest and attorney fees when the failure to pay at termination is willful. (Oregon BOLI, Paychecks (ORS 652.140))
Exceptions and special cases
- State and county fair employment: when the job ends on a weekend or holiday, the check is due by the end of the second business day after termination (BOLI). (Oregon BOLI, Paychecks (ORS 652.140))
- Seasonal farmworkers have their own final pay rules (BOLI notes). (Oregon BOLI, Paychecks (ORS 652.140))
- BOLI says these wage payment laws cover all Oregon employers except the federal government. (Oregon BOLI, Paychecks (ORS 652.140))
Worked examples
Discharge on Friday, October 2, 2026
A warehouse lead is fired at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, October 2, 2026. Saturday and Sunday are not business days, so the final check is due by the end of Monday, October 5, 2026. (Oregon BOLI, Paychecks (ORS 652.140))
Quit with notice for Friday, October 2, 2026
A bookkeeper gives written notice on Monday, September 28 that Friday, October 2 is the last day. That is more than 48 business hours, so the check is handed over on October 2. (Oregon BOLI, Paychecks (ORS 652.140))
Quit without notice on Thursday, October 1, 2026
A server leaves mid-shift on Thursday, October 1, 2026. Counting five business days gives Thursday, October 8; the next regular payday is Thursday, October 15. The earlier date, October 8, is the deadline. (Oregon BOLI, Paychecks (ORS 652.140))
What a late check can cost
If that server earned $18 an hour and the check arrived 10 days late with no written demand in play, the exposure is 8 x $18 x 10 days = $1,440 in penalty wages, before the unpaid wages themselves. (Oregon BOLI, Paychecks (ORS 652.140))
How to act on it
Final paycheck: Oregon and neighboring states
Each state links to its rulebook. Only rules we verified are shown.
| State | After firing | After quitting |
|---|---|---|
| Oregon | Next business day | Depends on the case |
| Washington | Next regular payday | Next regular payday |
| Idaho | Next payday or 10 days (not counting weekends and holidays), whichever is sooner | Next payday or 10 days (not counting weekends and holidays), whichever is sooner |
| Nevada | Immediately | Next payday or 7 days, whichever is sooner |
| California | Immediately | Depends on the case (full page) |
Questions about Oregon final paycheck rules
Is Saturday a business day for Oregon final pay?
No. BOLI counts business days and excludes weekends and holidays, so a Friday discharge is paid by the end of Monday.
Can an Oregon employer hold the last check until a laptop is returned?
No. BOLI says paychecks may not be withheld or delayed in exchange for the return of employer-owned items.
How much are Oregon penalty wages?
Eight times the regular hourly rate per day of delay, for up to 30 days, according to BOLI's paychecks page citing ORS 652.150.
Does a mutual separation agreement change the deadline?
It uses the same timing as a discharge: end of the following business day.
Must accrued vacation be paid out in Oregon?
Only if the employer's established policy or agreement provides for it; if the worker qualifies under that policy, BOLI expects it to be paid at termination.
The verified rules behind this page (5)
- A fired or laid-off employee must receive the final paycheck by the end of the next business day. (Oregon BOLI, Paychecks (ORS 652.140); verified Sep 24, 2026)
- With notice: An employee who quits with at least 48 hours’ notice (excluding weekends and holidays) must be paid on the last day of employment; if that day is a weekend or holiday, by the next business day. (Oregon BOLI, Paychecks (ORS 652.140); verified Sep 24, 2026)
- Without notice: An employee who quits with less than 48 hours’ notice must be paid within five business days or on the next regular payday, whichever comes first. (Oregon BOLI, Paychecks (ORS 652.140); verified Sep 24, 2026)
- Oregon law does not require employers to offer vacation pay, but an employer must honor any established policy or agreement on paying accrued vacation at termination. If the worker qualifies under the policy, it must be paid at termination. (Oregon BOLI, Benefits, holiday and vacation pay; verified Sep 24, 2026)
- Oregon employers must keep regular paydays; paydays may not be more than 35 days apart (DOL table: monthly). (U.S. DOL WHD, State Payday Requirements; verified Sep 27, 2026)
Sources (4)
Checked Sep 27, 2026 · How we verify every rule · Report an error
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