OK to pay hourly employees monthly?

By R. Read Gignilliat

Q. I own a retail store and I have large inventory outlay costs during the first half of the month. To help manage my cash flows, I would like to begin paying my hourly employees at the end of the month. Can I pay them once a month at the end of each month?

A. No. Georgia law provides certain wage-payment requirements. Payments to hourly employees must be made on dates during the month such that the month will be divided into at least two equal periods. Accordingly, Georgia law requires that employees be paid on at least a semimonthly basis.

Furthermore, payments made on each such date shall, in every case, correspond to the full net amount of wages or earnings due the employees for the period for which the payments are made.