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Pay stub

A pay stub (or wage statement) is the document that accompanies a paycheck and itemizes how the amount was reached: hours worked, rates, gross pay, each deduction, and net pay. It is the employee's window into their own payroll — and the first place disputes about hours or payroll taxes get checked.

How it works in the United States

This surprises many people: no federal law requires employers to give employees a pay stub. The FLSA requires employers to keep accurate pay records, but says nothing about handing a statement to the worker. Pay stub rules are state law, and they fall into rough groups:

  • Access states: employers must let employees see or obtain their pay information.
  • Printed or written statement states: a stub must be provided each payday, on paper or electronically, often with specific required line items.
  • Opt-in / opt-out states: electronic stubs are fine, but employees may have a right to choose paper.
  • No-requirement states: a handful set no rule at all — though most employers provide stubs anyway.

Some states, such as California and New York, list exactly what a stub must show, with penalties per inaccurate statement, so accurate time records matter as much as the stub itself.

State wage payment laws (e.g., California Labor Code § 226; NY Wage Theft Prevention Act); federal FLSA requires record-keeping only — see your state labor department.

Tommy keeps clock-ins, breaks, and approved hours in one tidy record, so the numbers that flow into payroll — and onto pay stubs — match what actually happened on shift.

Related terms