Your pay schedule is a combination of three pieces of information:
Paying in arrears
If there's a delay between your pay period and your pay date, this is called paying in arrears—this is common for hourly employees because it gives you time to collect their hours and process payroll.
Use the dropdowns below to learn more about a topic, or use CMD + F (or CTRL + F) to search for keywords throughout the article.
Many states have regulations surrounding pay schedules—scroll to the table below that shows 2022 pay schedule frequency requirements by state. Once you've chosen a schedule, click the Add a new pay schedule dropdown below to set it up in Gusto.
Use the table below to determine what pay frequencies are allowed in each state.
Last updated May 3, 2022.
State | Weekly | Bi-weekly | Semi-monthly | Monthly | Important information—read carefully | Agency resource |
Alabama | Yes | Yes | Yes | Depends—see important information. | Public service corporations employing 50 or more people must pay employees at least twice per month and not more than 15 days following the close of a pay period. Alabama does not have laws dictating when or how frequently private sector employers must pay employees their wages. | Alabama Department of Labor resource |
Alaska | Yes | Yes | Depends—see important information. | Depends—see important information. | An employer must pay employees at least once per month on regularly scheduled paydays. Employers may pay monthly or semi-monthly if elected by the employee. | Alaska State Legislature resource |
Arizona | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | An employer must pay two or more days per month, not more than 16 days apart. | Industrial Commission of Arizona resource |
Arkansas | Yes | Yes | Yes | Depends—see important information. | Only corporations that have an annual gross income of $500,000 or more may pay management-level employees that are classified as exempt from overtime, and that earn an annual gross income of more than $25,000 a minimum of once per month. | Arkansas paycheck requirements resource |
California | Yes | Yes | Yes | Depends—see important information. | Wages must be paid twice during each calendar month on the days designated in advance as regular paydays. For exceptions, click the link in the next column. | California Department of Industrial Relations resource |
Colorado | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Wages must be paid regularly once per month, no later than 10 days following the end of each pay-period. | Colorado Department of Labor and Employment resource |
Connecticut | Yes | Approval required—see important information. | Approval required—see important information. | Approval required—see important information. | Employers must pay employees at least weekly, and on a regular payday designated in advance, no later than 8-days after the end of the pay-period. Longer pay frequency intervals, up to monthly, can be permitted if approved by Labor Commissioner. | Connecticut Department of Labor resource |
Delaware | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Employers must pay wages at least once per month, no later than 7-days after the close of the pay-period. | Delaware Department of Labor resource |
District of Columbia (Washington D.C.) | Yes | Yes | No | Depends—see important information. | Non-exempt employees must be paid at least twice per month. Administrative, executive, and professional employees must be paid at least once per month. | Council of the District of Columbia resource |
Florida | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Florida has no requirements for pay frequency. | Florida Department of Labor resource |
Georgia | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Georgia's law requires workers to be paid at least twice per month. | Georgia Department of Labor |
Hawaii | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Every employer is required to pay wages to all employees at least twice during each calendar month, on regular paydays designated in advance by the employer. | State of Hawaii Wage Standards Division |
Idaho | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | All employees must be paid at least once per month, no more than 15 days after the end of the pay-period. | Idaho legislature resource |
Illinois | Yes | Yes | Yes | Depends—see important information. | Employees should be paid at least twice per month. Exceptions may be allowed for commission payments. Click on the link for additional information. | Illinois Department of Labor resource |
Indiana | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Any employer doing business in Indiana, must pay each employee at least semi-monthly or biweekly. | Indiana General Assembly resource |
Iowa | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Employers must pay wages at least monthly, twice a month, or every two weeks on regular paydays. | Iowa Labor Center resource |
Kansas | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Must pay employees at least once per month, on regular paydays, and inform employees of paydays in advance. | Kansas Department of Labor resource |
Kentucky | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Employers must pay employees at least semi-monthly. | Kentucky General Assembly resource |
Louisiana | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Employers must pay most hourly employees via a regular payday at least bi-weekly or semi-monthly. | Louisiana Legislature resource |
Maine | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Employers can pay employees at least every 16 days. | Maine Legislature resource |
Maryland | Yes | Yes | Yes | Depends—see important information. | Employers must pay employees every two weeks or twice per month. Executive, Professional and Administrative employees may be paid less frequently. | Maryland Department of Labor resource |
Massachusetts | Yes | Yes | Yes | Depends—see important information. | Hourly employees must be paid on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, within six days of the pay period ending. Employers may pay exempt and salaried non-exempt employees weekly, bi-weekly, or semi-monthly. Employers can pay monthly at the employee's request. | Commonwealth of Massachusetts resource |
Michigan | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | All employees must be paid at least on a semi-monthly basis. | Michigan Legislature resource |
Minnesota | Yes | Yes | Yes | Depends—see important information. | Employers must pay all wages, including salary, earnings, and gratuities earned by an employee at least once every 31 days; and all commissions earned by an employee at least once every three months, on a regular payday designated in advance by the employer regardless of whether the employee requests payment at longer intervals. | Minnesota Legislature resource |
Mississippi | Yes | Yes | Yes | Depends—see important information. | Mississippi does not have laws dictating how often to pay employees. Exception: if your company is engaged in manufacturing and has 50 or more employees, or if you're a public labor or public service corporation, then you must pay your employees at least biweekly or semi-monthly, or on the second and fourth Saturday of every month. Manufacturing and public labor companies must pay their employees within 10 days of the end of the pay period. Public service corporations must pay their employees within 15 days of the end of the pay period. | Mississippi Payroll Rules resource |
Missouri | Yes | Yes | Yes | Depends—see important information. | Executive, administrative, or professional employees, salespersons, and employees on commission may be paid monthly. | Revisor of Missouri resource |
Montana | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Employers must establish regular pay schedule and pay wages no more than 10 days following the end of the pay period. | Montana Department of Labor and Industry resource |
Nebraska | Designated by employer, and approved by employee | Designated by employer, and approved by employee | Designated by employer, and approved by employee | Designated by employer, and approved by employee | Designated by employer, and approved by employee. | Nebraska Department of Labor resource |
Nevada | Yes | Yes | Yes | Depends—see important information. | A monthly payday is only permitted for Executive, Administrative, and Professional personnel. | Nevada Department of Business and Industry resource |
New Hampshire | Yes | Yes | Yes, with written permission—see important information. | Yes, with written permission—see important information. | Weekly or bi-weekly payment of wages is required. Semi-monthly or monthly payment of wages are available upon written permission of the NHDOL. | New Hampshire Department of Labor resource |
New Jersey | Yes | Yes | Yes | Depends—see important information. | Monthly paydays are permitted only for exempt Executive, Administrative, and Professional personnel. | New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce resource |
New Mexico | Yes | Yes | Yes | Depends—see important information. | Monthly payday requirements for exempt Executive, Administrative, and Professional personnel. Penalties are imposed for violations. | New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions resource |
New York | Yes | Depends—see important information. | Depends—see important information. | Depends—see important information. | New York State Labor Law requires manual workers to be paid weekly, and clerical and other workers at least twice per month. Review the link to the right for additional information about pay frequencies. | New York State Senate resource |
North Carolina | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Pay periods may be daily, weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly or monthly. | North Carolina Legislature resource |
North Dakota | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Must pay at a minimum of monthly or on a regularly scheduled pay date. | North Dakota Code resource |
Ohio | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Payment at shorter or longer intervals is permitted when it is customary or when it has been established by written contract or law. | Ohio Laws and Administrative Rules resource |
Oklahoma | Yes | Yes | Yes | Depends—see important information. | Every employee must be paid all wages due at least twice each calendar month. State, county, municipal and overtime exempt employees shall be paid a minimum of once each calendar month. | Oklahoma Labor Department's Wage and Hour FAQ resource |
Oregon | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Paydays may not be more than 35 days apart. | Oregon Labor and Industries resource |
Pennsylvania | Yes | Yes | Yes | Depends—see important information. | Pennsylvania employers must pay their hourly employees every two weeks or more frequently depending on the terms of the employment contact. | Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry resource |
Rhode Island | Yes | Depends—see important information. | Depends—see important information. | Depends—see important information. | Every employee must be paid weekly for all wages due from an employer*. *Exceptions: Those employees whose compensation is fixed at a bi-weekly, semi-monthly, monthly or yearly rate, and those employees working for the state and its political subdivisions and of religious literary, or charitable corporations. | Rhode Island Labor Relations resource |
South Carolina | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No regulation on pay frequency. | South Carolina Legislature resource |
South Dakota | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Employers must pay all wages due at least once each calendar month. | South Dakota Legislature resource |
Tennessee | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Employers must pay at least monthly. | Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development resource |
Texas | Yes | Yes | Yes | Depends—see important information. | Employees exempt from the overtime provisions of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) must be paid at least once per month; others must be paid at least twice a month. Semi-monthly pay periods must contain, as nearly as possible, an equal number of days. | Texas Workforce Commission resource |
Utah | Yes | Yes | Yes | Depends—see important information. | Employees on a yearly salary can be paid on a monthly basis. | Utah Payment of Wages |
Vermont | Yes | Yes, with written consent from the employee | Yes, with written consent from the employee | No | Employers must pay employees on a weekly basis. However, after providing written notice to its employees, an employer may issue paychecks on a bi-weekly or semi-monthly basis. Payday must be within six (6) days of the last day of the pay period. | Vermont Department of Labor resource |
Virginia | Yes | Yes | Yes | Depends—see important information. | Employees exempt from overtime should be paid at least once a month and hourly employees should be paid at least once every two weeks or twice a month. | Code of Virginia resource |
Washington | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Employers must pay wages at least once per month on a regular payday. | Washington State Legislature resource |
West Virginia | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Employers must pay wages at least twice every month on a regular basis. | West Virginia Division of Labor resource |
Wisconsin | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes—review the resource for exempt employees. | With limited exceptions, employers must pay wages at least monthly. The only employers exempt from this requirement can be found by clicking the Wage Payment and Collection Law link to the right. | Wisconsin Wage Payment and Collection Law resource |
Wyoming | Yes | Yes | Yes | Depends—review resource for a list of restricted occupations. | Wyoming does not have laws governing how frequently an employer must pay its employees. Certain occupations are not permitted to pay employees monthly.Review the resource to the right for more info. | Wyoming Workforce FAQ resource |
Set up your pay schedule(s) with Gusto so we know when to pay your employees. We support the following pay schedule frequencies: weekly, biweekly, semimonthly, monthly, quarterly, and annual schedules.
For advice about what schedule(s) would work the best for your company, check out our blog post.
When adjusting your pay schedule, you might have to run a special transition payroll. If so, it’ll be waiting for you on your Home page. To edit your pay schedule(s) in the future, follow the instructions in this article.
To see a snapshot of your pay schedule (pay periods and pay dates) in the future, follow the steps below.
Click here to sync payroll reminders to your personal calendar.
A transition payroll lets you pay employees for any workdays that fall during the gap between the last day of an old pay schedule and the first day of a new schedule.
If a transition payroll is generated on your Home page, this must be processed or skipped before the next regular payroll can be run.
Taxes
Benefits
Payments and time tracking
You can view and edit who is assigned to what pay schedule by following the below steps:
Workweeks are used only for the purposes of calculating overtime pay using a 7-day consecutive period. Editing a workweek will not change your company’s pay frequency, pay period, or pay date.
You can designate one “start of workweek” per pay schedule. We’ll default the weekly and biweekly pay schedules’ “start of workweek” to the first day of the pay period. The default for all other pay schedules is Sunday.
Change your “start of workweek”
Heads up: To make sure employees get the proper overtime pay, we'll limit the number of times you can change your start of workweek. For example, if you change it once, you'll have to wait a full workweek (from the start of the new workweek) before you can change it again.
To remove an existing pay schedule, you’ll need to change the pay schedule “assignment type” altogether and set up one or more pay schedules again.