Demand Letter for Unpaid Wages

Unpaid wages are debts your employer already admits by having scheduled you. A demand letter documents the hours, the rate, and the amount, and it puts the employer on notice that the next stop is the labor board or court, venues that are notoriously unsympathetic to wage violations.

This letter suits final paychecks that never came, unpaid overtime, missed commissions with clear terms, and hours shaved off timesheets. For ongoing employment situations, weigh the relationship, but know that retaliating against a wage claim creates a second, often bigger, problem for the employer.

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Sample letter

This is the exact structure your finished letter will follow, with placeholders where your facts go.

[Your Full Name] [Your Street Address] [City, State ZIP] [Date] [Recipient's Full Name] [Recipient's Street Address] [City, State ZIP] RE: Formal Demand for Unpaid Wages Dear [Recipient's Full Name]: This letter is a formal demand for payment of $[amount owed, e.g. 2,340.00], which you owe me for unpaid wages for my work as [role] from [date] to [date]. The relevant facts are straightforward. I was employed at an agreed rate of $[rate] per hour. For the pay periods of [dates], I worked [number] hours that remain unpaid, including [number] overtime hours. My final paycheck due on [date] was never issued. The total owed is $[amount]. Demand is hereby made for payment in full of $[amount owed, e.g. 2,340.00] within 10 days of your receipt of this letter. Payment may be made as follows: Check mailed to my address above. If payment is not received by that deadline, I intend to pursue the remedies available to me, which may include filing a claim in court and seeking recovery of costs where permitted. A judgment can affect your credit and can be enforced against wages and bank accounts. None of that is necessary if you simply resolve this now. This letter is written without waiver of any rights or remedies, all of which are expressly reserved. Sincerely, [Your Full Name]

What to include

Your employment dates, role, and agreed pay rate
The pay periods and hours at issue, as specifically as you can
The total amount owed and how you calculated it
A payment deadline
Your next step: a wage claim with the state labor agency or a court filing

Common questions

Should I file with the labor board instead?

The letter and the labor claim work in sequence. Many employers pay on receipt of a letter because an agency claim triggers investigations and possible penalties. If the deadline passes, file the claim; it is free in most states.

My employer says I was a contractor. Does that end it?

No. The label matters less than the working reality. If they controlled your schedule and how you worked, say in your letter that you were treated as an employee. Misclassification tends to increase what they owe.

Can they fire me for sending this?

Retaliation for asserting wage rights is illegal in most circumstances and creates additional claims. Document everything about how you are treated after you send it.

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