Payment of Wages: Utah

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

Authors: Elizabeth Dunning, Holland & Hart LLP

Summary

• The term wages is broadly defined in the Utah wage payment law. See Definition of Wages.
• An employer in Utah may pay wages by cash, check, direct deposit or electronic paycard. See Wage Payment Methods.
• Utah employers must pay their employees at least semimonthly, no later than 10 days after the end of the pay period. Employers may establish more frequent pay periods. Salaried employees may be paid monthly. See Pay Frequency.
• An employer may not withhold part of an employee's wages unless the employer is required to by law or the employee has authorized the deduction in writing. See Permitted and Prohibited Wage Deductions.
• Utah employers must provide employees with a statement of the deductions made from their paychecks each pay period in which deductions are made. See Pay Statement Requirements.
• Employers must notify new employees at the time of hire of their pay rate(s), pay dates and place of wage payments. Existing employees must be notified before any changes are made to the information. Notices may be given directly to employees or posted. See Employee Notification Requirements.
• How soon a terminated employee must be paid his or her final pay, including accrued vacation time, depends on whether the termination is voluntary or involuntary. The termination pay requirements do not apply to the commissioned-based portion of the earnings of sales agents under certain circumstances. See Final Pay.
• State law allows for private causes of action for certain wage claims. See Wage Disputes.
• Utah's general estates law may apply to an employer who owes wages or other property to a deceased employee. See Deceased Employee Wages.
• Wages are considered abandoned property if they are unclaimed by an employee for one year. Employers' responsibilities include notifying affected employees, and filing reports and remitting unclaimed amounts to the Utah State Treasurer. See Unclaimed Wages.