In California, employers normally must pay all earned unpaid wages immediately when terminating or laying off an employee. However, there are exceptions to this rule, such as in the oil drilling industry.
For employees "engaged in the business of oil drilling", employers have up to 24 hours, excluding weekends and holidays, to provide the final paycheck. This deadline can also be met by mailing the paycheck before the deadline, with the mailing date considered the date of payment.
This exception exists because oil drilling workers often work far away from their employer's main offices. It applies broadly to all employees involved in oil drilling operations, not just those at remote locations. This acknowledges the unique challenges of oil drilling work, where employees may be stationed in distant locations, making immediate payment logistics challenging for employers.