Unpaid Wages Demand Letter in California
A letter asking an employer to pay wages you are owed, before you file a wage claim with your state labor agency or the U.S. Department of Labor. Keep copies of pay stubs, schedules and messages.
What California law says
| Final paycheck if fired or laid off | Immediately, at the time of termination, including all accrued vacation. Special timelines apply to some seasonal, motion picture and oil drilling layoffs. An employer that willfully pays late can owe a waiting-time penalty of a day's pay for each day late, up to 30 days. |
|---|---|
| Final paycheck if you quit | If the employee gave at least 72 hours' notice, final pay (including accrued vacation) is due on the last day of work. Without 72 hours' notice, it is due within 72 hours after quitting; the employee may ask for it to be mailed. |
| Minimum wage | $16.90 per hour for all employers, effective January 1, 2026. Higher minimum wages apply to fast food workers and certain health care workers, and many cities and counties have their own higher local minimum wage; employers must pay whichever rate is highest. Scheduled increase: the statewide minimum wage rises to $17.40 per hour on January 1, 2027 (DIR News Release 2026-66: https://www.dir.ca.gov/DIRNews/2026/2026-66.html). The rate is adjusted each year for inflation, capped at 3.5% per year, and cannot go down. |
Fill it in
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[today's date]
To: [employer name], [employer address]
From: [your name], [your address]
I worked for you as [job title] from [start date] to [end date or present]. You have not paid me $[amount owed] for [the hours, overtime, final paycheck or tips owed], covering [dates owed].
Please pay this amount by [payment deadline] by [payment method].
If I do not receive payment, I plan to file a wage claim with [state labor agency] and pursue any other remedies the law allows.
[your name] [phone or email]
Unpaid Wages Demand Letter for other states · California tenant rights
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.