I'm owed wages. How do I get them?

What are my rights to receive wages in Washington?

Under state law, you have the right to receive:

• The wages promised by your employer
• The minimum wage (this applies to most workers)
• Overtime (time-and-a-half pay) for work over 40 hours a week (this applies to most workers)
• Payment of wages without illegal deductions
• Payment of wages on the next regular payday if you quit or are fired

What are my options to try to get what’s owed to me?

To try to get wages that you’re owed, you can choose to do 1 of these:

• Complain to Washington Department of Labor and Industries (L&I). If you ask L&I to help collect wages, you may have to choose between going to court or having L&I collect for you.
• Sue for your wages in Small Claims court if the wages and damages you’re owed would be less than $10,000. You have to represent yourself in Small Claims court, you can’t use a lawyer.
• Hire a lawyer to help you get your wages. You can try to use a lawyer even if your claim is less than $10,000 but you can’t file it in Small Claims court if you use a lawyer.

You must file either a court action or an L&I complaint within 3 years of the date that wages were owed or you may lose your right to file a claim for the wages.