Positive Mitzvah 200
Paying Wages on Time
Deuteronomy 24:15 "Give him his wage on the day it is due"
When you baby-sit or mow the lawn for someone, you appreciate getting paid for your time and effort. Even if you do not receive your payment upon completing the job, you feel confident that you will get paid at some later time. Nonetheless, you're much happier when you are paid immediately after you finish the work.
The Torah warns us to be careful when paying people who work for us. We are commanded to pay them on time and not withhold their wages.
Negative Mitzvah 238
It is forbidden to delay payment to a hired worker
Leviticus 19:13 "The wages of a hired worker shall not be left with you overnight until the morning"
Manny's father works in a firm and gets a monthly salary.
Ricky's mother is a teacher and receives her check every two weeks.
Bassi's father is a self-employed painter and charges by the hour.
No one would think of paying him a month later for his day's work.
The Torah cautions us not to delay payment that is owed to a hired worker.
If he worked during the day, we must pay him by the next morning. If he is employed on a night job, he must be paid by the end of the next day.