Pay Stub Requirements and Payroll Compliance
State wage-statement rules, small-business payroll basics, overtime, corrections, and pay-stub examples.
This section covers the employer side: what each state requires on a wage statement, how a small business should build employee stubs, what a complete stub looks like, how overtime should appear, and how to fix a stub that's wrong.
Articles and tools in this topic
Pay Stub Requirements by State
Federal recordkeeping vs state wage-statement rules, required fields, electronic delivery, and multi-state employees.
How to Make Pay Stubs for Employees as a Small Business
Step-by-step payroll workflow for small employers: gross pay, taxes, deductions, net pay, and records.
W-2 or 1099-NEC: Which Form to Issue
The IRS control test, what a W-2 and a 1099-NEC each commit an employer to, and what misclassification costs under section 3509.
Year-End Filing Calendar for Small Employers
W-2, 1099, 941, 940, T4 and T4A deadlines for 2026 income in order, with e-file thresholds and penalties.
Pay Stub Example: What Each Field Means
A field-by-field example showing employer details, earnings, taxes, deductions, net pay, and YTD totals.
What to Do if Your Pay Stub Is Wrong
How to audit wrong hours, missing overtime, tax withholding, deductions, and YTD errors before escalating.
Overtime on Pay Stubs
FLSA overtime math, regular-rate issues, salary vs exempt status, state rules, and common stub errors.
Why Is My Federal Withholding So Low or High?
W-4 settings, pay frequency, bonuses, pre-tax deductions, second jobs, and payroll setup mistakes.
How Often Should You Get a Pay Stub?
Weekly, biweekly, semi-monthly, and monthly pay schedules, plus state wage-payment timing.
Employer Won't Give Pay Stub: State Rights
What employees can do when a required wage statement is missing or withheld.
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