When is a Vermont final paycheck due after a discharge or termination?

Under 21 V.S.A. § 342(b), a discharged Vermont employee must receive all wages within 72 hours of the discharge. The 72-hour period runs from the time of the discharge.

When is a Vermont final paycheck due after a voluntary resignation?

Under 21 V.S.A. § 342(b), a Vermont employee who voluntarily quits receives final wages on the last regular payday. If there is no regular payday, wages are due on the next Friday after the resignation.

Where can Vermont employees file a final paycheck wage claim?

Vermont wage claims for unpaid final paychecks may be filed with the Vermont Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (labor.vermont.gov). The Vermont Wage Payment Act provides for recovery of unpaid wages.

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Vermont final pay

Vermont Final Paycheck Deadline Calculator

Vermont's 21 V.S.A. § 342(b) sets different deadlines based on how employment ended: 72 hours for discharge, and the last regular payday (or next Friday) for voluntary resignations.

Vermont's 21 V.S.A. § 342(b) requires that a discharged employee receive final wages within 72 hours of discharge, and that a voluntarily resigning employee receive final wages on the last regular payday (or on the next Friday if no regular payday applies). — Source: Vermont Legislature, 21 V.S.A. § 342

Enter separation details

Vermont's discharge vs. resignation rules

21 V.S.A. § 342(b), read directly from the Vermont Legislature's statute database (legislature.vermont.gov), establishes two distinct tracks:

Separation type	Deadline
Discharged, fired, or terminated involuntarily	Within 72 hours of discharge (21 V.S.A. § 342(b))
Voluntary resignation — regular payday exists	Last regular payday (21 V.S.A. § 342(b))
Voluntary resignation — no regular payday	Next Friday after the resignation date (21 V.S.A. § 342(b))

72 hours is approximate: The statute measures 72 hours from the time of discharge, not from midnight. This calculator uses calendar days (3 days) as an approximation. For same-day discharge at 2:00 PM, payment by 2:00 PM three days later is the more precise rule.

Worked example: discharged on a Tuesday

Discharge date: 2026-08-11 (Tuesday) 72 hours later (approximate): 2026-08-14 (Friday) Deadline: by Friday 2026-08-14 (or earlier, to be precise from the hour of discharge)

Worked example: resigned, biweekly payroll

Resignation date: 2026-08-14 (Friday) Last regular payday: 2026-08-28 (biweekly) Deadline: 2026-08-28

Worked example: resigned, no regular payday (gig/informal employment)

Resignation date: 2026-08-14 (Friday — itself a Friday) Next Friday rule: next Friday = 2026-08-21 Deadline: 2026-08-21

What this calculator does not determine

The exact hour the 72-hour window expires — the calculator uses calendar days as an approximation.
The amount of wages, commissions, accrued vacation, or bonuses owed.
Whether a collective-bargaining agreement or employment contract changes the applicable deadline.

Sources and verification

The final-pay rules are confirmed from 21 V.S.A. § 342 (Vermont Legislature), read directly from the statute text. The 72-hour discharge rule and the last-regular-payday/next-Friday resignation rules are both present in the confirmed statute text. Calculator tests verify the 72-hour approximation (3 days), Friday-finding arithmetic, and invalid-date rejection.

Common questions

Does the 72-hour rule include weekends in Vermont?

Yes. The 72-hour window for discharges runs continuously from the time of discharge, including weekends and holidays. A Friday afternoon discharge requires payment by Monday afternoon, not the following business week.

What if a Vermont employee quits on a Friday — is the deadline the next Friday or the same Friday?

The statute says the "last regular payday." If your regular payday schedule does not include the resignation date, you use the payday on or after resignation — typically the next cycle date. The "next Friday" rule only applies when no regular payday schedule exists.

Does Vermont require payout of accrued vacation at separation?

Vermont law treats accrued, unused vacation as earned wages if the employer's policy promises it. Whether your specific accrued vacation must be paid depends on your employer's written policy. File with the Vermont Department of Labor at labor.vermont.gov for disputed amounts.