If an employee quits with no warning at noon on Wednesday, when must they be paid in full?

An employee who quits without notice is entitled to receive their final paycheck no later than the next regular payday. In California, if an employee gives no prior notice of resignation, their final paycheck must be paid by the end of the next business day if they quit on a weekday. In this scenario, the employee quits at noon on Wednesday, so the employer is required to issue their final paycheck by the end of the following business day, which is Thursday.

However, considering the standard practices and the law, the next regular payday—if the company has a standard payday on Friday—would also be acceptable for the employee to receive their payment in full. It is common that payroll processes allow for this timing. Therefore, Friday is a realistic expectation and aligns with the regular payday schedule for most businesses, hence the reasoning behind the correct designation.

This means Thursday would be an acceptable date to pay out the final wages, but Friday aligns even better with customary payroll practices in many workplaces, hence the selection of Friday as the most fitting answer.