My paycheck is lost, can I ask for another one?

[tavia_yeung]

My paycheck is lost. Because usually I wait for 2-3 paychecks and pick it up all at once and sometimes I take home 4-5 checks. Because I still live w/ my parents and they support me so I only use some money out of my paychecks and the rest go to saving for nursing school. Whenever I cashed out my checks I would keep all the stubs for record so recently I look back at all of my check stubs and I noticed that one of my check I did not pick up yet b/c I don't have the stub for that pay period. I go to payroll to looking for my check but it not there. My paycheck is about 4 months old and it's now lost b/c I couldn't find it no where and I'm 99% sure that I did not pick it up yet.

My question is, is there a way the payroll staff or the employer can look up in their computer or call the bank or something to find out if your check is already cashout or not? I wanna know this so I can ask the payroll staff to reprint another one for me. After this experience I'm planning to switch to direct deposit.

[yousoldtheworld]

They can find out if the check has been cashed, and if not they should be able to cancel it and issue you a new one.

In the future, I wouldn't do this. The checks expire and are no longer valid after a certain amount of time, I can't remember exactly how long and it might be different everywhere.

[KimberlyRN89, BSN, RN]

They can find out if the check has been cashed, and if not they should be able to cancel it and issue you a new one.

In the future, I wouldn't do this. The checks expire and are no longer valid after a certain amount of time, I can't remember exactly how long and it might be different everywhere.

I think on some of my paychecks it says "void after 180 days". I definitely agree though..if you can't pick them up on pay day, just look into getting direct deposit.

[JeanettePNP, MSN, RN, NP]

It happens to the best of us, and I think if it's a one-time thing they should be understanding about it and issue a replacement.

[caliotter3]

Yes, go to them and request a new check. It might take them a little time to stop payment on the missing check, then issue the new one, but at least you would be paid and they could balance their books on your pay account. Even if you get direct deposit, keep up the habit of checking. Direct deposit does not preclude pay errors.

[tavia_yeung]

Thanks very much all for the responses. It's very helpful!

[tavia_yeung]

Two weeks ago when I came to talk to the payroll she asked me something like this, why did I waited so long to asked her for the missing check. And I said I didn't know until recently I look back at all of my check stubs that I noticed that one of the check I did not claim it yet. I hope that she did not think that I already cashed out my check and said that I did not have my check yet. Because when I informed her about it she told me that she'll look again in her office to see if it still there, if not she'll give me a new one. But it's about two weeks already but I didn't hear anything so I don't know if I should come to ask her about it or not? I feel shy to go ask her for a replacement b/c I hope she does not think that I'm lying b/c I know I should ask her earlier not wait until now (4 months later) to ask her about it. But I think I should give one more try to come to see her to discuss about it.

[JeanettePNP, MSN, RN, NP]

Don't be shy. It's your money, you earned it, you're just trying to clarify where it went. If their records show that it was cashed they will know you're lying, but unless the check was stolen it will not show up as being cashed.

[tavia_yeung]

What should I do now b/c payroll still didn't reissue me my lost paycheck?

My paycheck is worth around $600 and it was lost since last year so about 9 months ago. I talked to her about 4-5 times already but payroll still ignore my request. I know it's my fault for not pick up my check on time that's why it lost. Sometime I feel like I want to keep up hope since to this day I still didnt hear anything from payroll whether I'm gonna recieve a new check or not. But I also feel like it's my hard earning money so I want to get my lost check reissue to me but I cant do anything about it b/c it seem payroll didnt want to printout another check for me. I dont want to go see my higher up the one that hired me to talk to her about my missing paycheck b/c I dont want her to get upset about me for waiting so long to claim my check that's why it lost and maybe they would think I'm give them more work to do like look up if my check was really lost and then reissue another one to me. So go talk to my higher up is not something I want to do.

My check is lost around 9 months already so do you think it's possible that they can still reissue me another one? My facility paychecks doesnt have the expired date so I believe it's good for 1 year though.

Do you think I should keep up hope about this lost check?

[caliotter3]

Go to the Labor Board and file a claim for owed wages. Do it now. There is a time limit and if you miss that time limit you will be out of luck. They are hoping that you don't speak up. Then they will not have to pay the money. I know. It just happened to me.