What should I do first if my paycheck is wrong?

Start by documenting: save your pay stubs, write down the hours you actually worked, and identify the specific rule you think was misapplied — overtime, minimum wage, or final pay. A calculator that shows the correct figure with a source citation gives you a concrete, checkable number to raise with your employer or your state agency.

How long do I have to file a wage claim?

Wage-claim deadlines are set by each state and typically run from two to six years depending on the state and the type of claim. Because deadlines vary and the clock is already running, it is worth confirming your state’s limit early rather than waiting.

Your Paycheck Looks Wrong — Here's What to Do, Step by Step

Step 1: Pin down which rule is at issue

"My check is wrong" is hard to act on; "I was paid straight time for 6 overtime hours" is easy to act on. Narrow it to a specific rule:

Were you paid overtime for hours over 40 — or over 8 in a day, if your state has daily overtime? See how overtime works.
Was your hourly rate at least the minimum wage that covers you, including any city rate? See minimum wage.
Was a bonus or commission left out of your overtime math? See the regular rate.
Was your final paycheck late or short? See final paycheck deadlines.

Step 2: Get the correct number, with a source

Open your state's calculator from the states directory and enter your real hours and pay. The tool shows the figure you should have received and links to the statute behind it. Now you have two numbers — what you were paid and what the rule requires — plus a citation. That is far more persuasive than a feeling that something is off.

Step 3: Document everything

Save every pay stub and your offer letter or wage notice.
Keep your own record of hours worked — dates, start and end times, breaks. A simple log in your phone is evidence.
Note the specific pay periods affected and the total difference.

Contemporaneous records carry weight. If the employer's time records are wrong, your own consistent log is often what fills the gap.

Step 4: Raise it with your employer first

Many pay errors are genuine mistakes and get corrected once flagged with specifics. Put it in writing, state the rule and the amount, and keep a copy. A written, source-backed request is both the fastest path to a fix and useful documentation if it isn't fixed.

Step 5: File a wage claim with your state agency

If it isn't resolved, every state has a labor agency that investigates wage claims — and filing is generally free and does not require a lawyer. Each state calculator on this site links to that state's wage-and-hour agency and its filing process. Two things to know:

Deadlines apply. Wage-claim statutes of limitations commonly run two to six years depending on the state and claim type. The clock is already running, so check your state's limit early.
Retaliation is illegal. It is unlawful for an employer to fire or punish you for asserting a wage right or filing a claim.

A note on what this site can and can't do

These calculators give you a defensible number and its source — the raw material for a claim. They are not legal advice and cannot represent you. For a complex or high-value dispute, an employment attorney or your state agency is the right next step. The methodology page explains exactly how the figures are derived so you can stand behind them.

Your Paycheck Looks Wrong. Here's What to Do.