1. Enter your facts
Fired or quit? Last day worked? When (if ever) wages were paid? Hourly or salary rate.
California employees · Labor Code §§ 201–203
If your final paycheck was late or missing, California law can add a waiting-time penalty of up to 30 days of wages. WageClock estimates the amount, then unlocks a clean PDF demand letter and email you can send today.
Document prep & education only. Not a law firm. Not legal advice. No subscription.
Separation: Fired · Last day: Mar 3 Final wages due: Mar 3 (immediate) Wages paid: Mar 18 · 15 calendar days late Daily rate: $200 (8 hrs × $25) Penalty days (capped 30): 15 Estimated waiting-time penalty: $3,000 + unpaid final wages (if any) → Demand letter cites §§ 201–203 → 7-day response deadline → Reserves DLSE wage-claim rights
Fired or quit? Last day worked? When (if ever) wages were paid? Hourly or salary rate.
WageClock applies DIR-aligned due dates and counts calendar days after the deadline, capped at 30.
Pay once for a watermark-free demand letter PDF plus a copy-paste email. Optional kit adds DLSE filing steps.
California Labor Code requires prompt payment of final wages. When an employer willfully fails to pay on time — and there is no good-faith dispute — a waiting-time penalty of up to 30 days’ wages may apply. Free DIR pages explain the rules; WageClock turns your dates and rate into an estimate and a letter you can mail before (or alongside) a DLSE wage claim.
This is an educational document-prep tool. Whether a penalty is owed depends on facts including willfulness and good-faith disputes. Consult the California DLSE or a licensed attorney for advice about your situation.
Most popular
Unlock the clean demand letter PDF and email draft on this browser.
Upsell kit
Everything in $29 plus a printable Wage Claim Action Kit.
Upgrade in the desk after unlock, or buy the kit directly at checkout.
7-day refund if checkout succeeds but unlock fails, or the product is materially unusable. See Refunds.
No. WageClock is a document-preparation and educational calculator. It is not a law firm and does not create an attorney-client relationship. For advice about your rights, contact a licensed California employment attorney or the DLSE.
Due date depends on separation type (immediate for discharge or quit with ≥72h notice; within 72 hours / 3 calendar days for quit without notice). Penalty days run from the day after the due date through the paid date (or today if unpaid), capped at 30. Daily rate is your regular daily wage. The estimate assumes willful failure and no good-faith dispute — those are legal determinations we cannot make.
No. The calculator and watermarked letter preview are free. Unlock ($29) removes the watermark and enables a clean printable PDF plus email draft.
Enter the paid date. Waiting-time penalties can still apply for the late period even after wages are paid, subject to the 30-day cap and the willfulness / good-faith rules.
Yes. Many people send a demand letter first, then file a wage claim with the DLSE if unpaid. The $49 kit walks through certified mail and the DLSE filing path. Official guide: How to File a Wage Claim.