Payment of Wages: Oklahoma

Federal law and guidance on this subject should be reviewed together with this section.

Authors: Alan L. Rupe and Aaron Sauerwein, Kutak Rock LLP

Summary

• The term wages is extensively defined in the Oklahoma wage payment law. See Definition of Wages.
• Oklahoma employers may pay employees in cash, by check, direct deposit or payroll card. An employer may, in its discretion, pay all wages to an employee by direct deposit on payday at a financial institution of the employee's choice. If an employee does not consent to direct deposit or designate a financial institution, the wages may be paid by payroll card. See Wage Payment Methods.
• Nonexempt employees must be paid on regular paydays at least twice a month. Exempt employees may be paid once a month. Employers must pay employees no later than three days after the regularly scheduled payday. Penalties are imposed for noncompliance. See Pay Frequency.
• Oklahoma law allows employers to make various deductions from employees' pay, if they have the employees' consent. Employers that make unauthorized deductions are subject to penalties. See Permitted and Prohibited Wage Deductions.
• Employers must provide employees with written, itemized pay statements every payday. Each pay statement must contain specific information. Pay statements may be provided electronically. See Pay Statement Requirements.
• In Oklahoma, a terminating employee must be paid final wages by the next regular payday. See Final Pay.
• After the death of an employee, employers must follow a specific set of rules in order to properly turn over any compensation owed to the deceased employee's estate or survivors. See Deceased Employee Wages.
• Wages that are unclaimed for one year are considered abandoned property. Employers must notify affected employees, file annual reports of unclaimed wages with the state and remit any unclaimed property. Penalties are imposed for noncompliance. See Unclaimed Wages.