Wages: What I Need to Know - The Maryland Guide to Wage Payment and Employment Standards

Direct Deposit of Wages
With voluntary employee authorization, an employer may direct deposit wages. Though free to encourage participation in this system, an employer may currently not require it.

Holding Wages: “One Pay in the Hole”
An employer may not keep any part of the wage of an employee, either by withholding an entire paycheck, part of a paycheck, or by way of incremental wage deductions from several paychecks, as security against some future or contingent occurrence. This practice amounts to a confiscation of pay and is a direct violation of the law requiring timely payment of earned wages.

Note: This section concerns the indefinite holding of wages as security, not the short-term delay of pay for payroll processing purposes.

Wages Paid on Time
Generally, an employer must set regular paydays, and pay all earned wages of an employee on time regardless of whether the employee has turned in a time sheet or punch card, quit without notice, or provided any other form or document required by the employer. In addition, earned wages must be paid on time whether or not the employer has received payment from a customer or client for a job on which the employee worked.

If payday falls on a nonworking day, such as a weekend or holiday, wages must be paid on the preceding workday.