Unclaimed wages in California

Updated November 8, 2026

When a paycheck goes uncashed, often a final paycheck mailed after someone left a job, the employer eventually reports it to the California State Controller as unclaimed wages. The worker can claim it.

How wages become unclaimed

• A final paycheck mailed to an address the worker had left.
• A commission or bonus check sent after the job ended.
• A check that was lost and never reissued.

The employer reports the amount under the worker's name and last known address. The record names the employer as the holder.

Wages that belong to a company

Payroll-type property is usually owed to individuals, but it can be payable to a company, for example a company paid for a person's services. For business-type owners owed $10,000 or more, the Controller holds $12.6M in payroll, wage and commission property. See payroll and wages.

How to claim

Find the record, then file a claim with ID and proof of the address on the record. Claims for $1,000 or more in cash need a notarized, wet-ink signature.

What is not unclaimed property

If an employer never paid wages at all, that is a wage dispute, not unclaimed property, and is handled by California's labor authorities rather than the Controller.

RecoverOwed files claims for businesses. If you are an individual with a wage record, the steps above apply to you directly.