Last Payment for Production Employees in the Motion Picture Industry
•February 18, 2026
0
Why It Matters
Non‑compliant final‑pay practices expose California entertainment firms to costly lawsuits and regulatory fines, making adherence essential for risk‑averse production companies.
Key Takeaways
- •Section 201.5 covers all motion‑picture production employees
- •Final wages due by next regular payday after termination
- •Payment can be mailed or left at designated county location
- •Union contracts cannot extend final‑pay deadlines beyond law
- •Non‑compliance risks penalties and employee disputes
Pulse Analysis
California’s entertainment sector has long wrestled with payroll intricacies that stem from fluid production schedules and short‑term hires. Recognizing these challenges, Labor Code section 201.5 carves out a niche set of rules that supersede the state’s generic final‑pay mandates. By defining coverage through job duties, media type, and hiring arrangement, the law ensures that everyone from on‑set grips to post‑production editors receives timely compensation, regardless of whether they worked on a blockbuster film or a corporate webcast.
The core of section 201.5 is its timing requirement: once an employment relationship ends—whether by layoff, resignation, or contract completion—the employee must be paid by the next regular payday. Employers may satisfy this obligation by mailing the check or making it available at a specified location within the county of employment, with the earlier of those dates counting as the payment date. While collective bargaining agreements can shape payroll periods, they cannot stretch the final‑pay deadline beyond the statutory ceiling, forcing unions and producers to negotiate within clear legal boundaries.
For production companies, the practical takeaway is to treat wrap‑up and staff separations as scheduled payroll events rather than ad‑hoc transactions. Implementing automated alerts tied to contract end dates, maintaining up‑to‑date employee classifications, and reviewing CBA provisions early in negotiations can dramatically reduce exposure to penalties and labor disputes. As the industry leans into hybrid and streaming models, consistent compliance with section 201.5 will remain a cornerstone of responsible workforce management and financial stewardship.
Last Payment for Production Employees in the Motion Picture Industry
by Peter J. Woo, Steven M. Zimmerman, Jackson Lewis P.C.
Wednesday, February 18, 2026
Employers in the entertainment industry know that payroll compliance can be uniquely complicated. Production schedules change, wrap dates move, and crew members may be hired for short stints across multiple projects.
California has a special final‑pay statute aimed at this reality: Labor Code section 201.5, which sets rules for when and how final wages must be paid to employees “engaged in the production or broadcasting of motion pictures.”
To be sure, California’s general final‑pay rules require immediate payment of wages upon an employer’s termination of employment, or payment within 72 hours after an employee’s resignation. Those rules can be difficult to apply in practice in the motion‑picture industry, where employees may be hired for brief periods, work on location, separate at wrap, or be subject to force‑majeure events that affect their employment status.
Section 201.5 provides a specific timetable for final‑pay timing and delivery for a defined slice of the entertainment world, with respect to individuals employed in these often complex and specialized production and broadcasting roles.
Who is covered?
Section 201.5 applies to employees “engaged in the production or broadcasting of motion pictures,” which is defined by reviewing:
-
Job duties – any duties that relate to or support the entire life of production—or the facilities or equipment used in production—of motion pictures, from early phases such as development and creation to later stages like exhibition or broadcasting.
-
Type of media – the definition of “motion pictures” is expansive, covering any moving images, whether presented by film, commercials, music videos, satellite transmission, webcast, or other moving‑image formats.
-
Hiring arrangement – the statute extends coverage to temporary employees hired for the same purposes, including those hired for one or more daily or weekly calls or short‑duration projects. This includes on‑set crew, production staff, and others whose work is part of a motion‑picture production or broadcast.
Employers in California must ensure that if they are employing people for video production, even internal educational videos, they monitor compliance with section 201.5. Coverage questions can arise for different phases of a production’s life cycle (e.g., post‑production, publicity, or work performed after principal photography), so employers should evaluate roles and timing carefully.
Final Wages Due
When an employee’s employment terminates, the employee is entitled to receive payment of the wages earned by the next regular payday. “Next regular payday” is defined as the day designated by the employer for payment of wages earned during the payroll period in which the termination occurs, subject to the standard rules for payroll periods found in Labor Code section 204.
Employers may pay the wages covered in section 201.5 by mail or at a specified location in the county where the employee was hired or performed labor. The date of payment is considered the day the wages were either mailed or made available at the specified location, whichever is earlier.
Termination Defined
For purposes of the law, termination occurs when the employment relationship ends—whether by discharge, layoff, resignation, completion of a specified term, or otherwise. Unlike the general rule, the law does not distinguish between a voluntary resignation and an involuntary termination for timing of final‑pay purposes.
Union Considerations
Collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) can affect both the definition of a payroll period and when final payments are due within that period (Labor Code section 204). However, section 201.5 mandates that any alternative arrangements for final pay cannot exceed the time limitation outlined in section 204. Employers with employees covered by CBAs should review sections 201.5 and 204 when bargaining to ensure compliance with California law.
Bottom Line
California’s Labor Code section 201.5 recognizes the operational realities of motion‑picture production and broadcast by providing employers with direction on how to apply final‑pay timing laws to this specific category of entertainment employees. The statute does not eliminate final‑pay risk. Employers who treat wrap‑up and separation as a planned payroll event are best positioned to avoid penalties and disputes.
0
Comments
Want to join the conversation?
Loading comments...