If your pay stub has an error, save the original statement and supporting time or pay records, then contact payroll or HR with the specific discrepancy. Ask whether the statement, payment, or both need correcting, and when to expect a response. Keep the payment question separate from the document question: an incorrect label and missing wages need different checks.

1. Make sure you are comparing the same payment

Confirm the employer, pay period, and pay date before comparing amounts. A timesheet for one week and a statement for another can make accurate figures look inconsistent. Our pay period versus pay date guide explains which dates to match.

Download the original PDF if available. Keep the related time record, rate-change notice, bonus terms, or deduction authorization that supports your question. A screenshot can help show what you saw, but retain the full statement as well.

Compare current figures with current figures. Do not subtract a year-to-date deduction from the gross earnings for one payment. If the deposit is the only mismatch, first check whether net pay was split across accounts using our direct deposit reconciliation guide.

2. Name the entry that needs review

  • Hours: List the dates and hours in your time record that appear to be missing or different.
  • Pay rate: Compare the rate with the written agreement and its effective date.
  • Overtime: Separate worked hours by workweek. See our biweekly overtime guide before relying on a two-week total.
  • Deductions: Identify the code and amount you do not recognize, and ask payroll what it represents.
  • Personal details: Request an update through the employer's secure process if identifying information is incorrect.

For a fictional arithmetic check, assume 30 straight-time hours at $20 per hour, with no other earnings. That line would total $600. If it shows $560, the difference to ask about is $40 in gross earnings. This example does not establish that $40 is owed in a real case, or calculate a net payment after deductions.

3. Send a focused written request

Use the employer's payroll or HR contact and include enough detail to locate the payment. You can adapt this wording:

Subject: Review requested for pay statement dated [date]

My statement for [pay period] shows [entry and amount]. My [time record or agreement] shows [supporting detail]. Please explain the difference and confirm whether the payroll record or payment needs correction. If a correction is needed, please tell me how it will appear and when I should expect it.

Attach the relevant records through a secure channel. Avoid putting a full Social Security number or bank account number into an ordinary email. Keep the request and any reply with the original statement.

Do not edit the employer-issued stub yourself or generate a replacement and present it as the employer's correction. Ask the issuer to resolve its records so the document and payment history can be reconciled.

4. Check what the correction actually changes

When payroll responds, confirm whether it has explained an accurate entry, corrected a document, or arranged an additional or adjusted payment. Ask for a reference to the original pay date so you can connect the records.

Review the revised earnings and deductions, any related deposit, and the treatment of year-to-date totals. Keep both versions with a note identifying the correction. If payroll says a tax document also needs review, ask which document and how it will be provided; changing a pay stub alone is not evidence that every related record has been updated.

5. Get help if a wage issue remains unresolved

The Department of Labor explains that the FLSA requires accurate employer records of hours and wages but does not itself require employers to issue pay stubs. State requirements can differ. See the Department's pay stub guidance; do not assume that the federal rule settles your state's statement requirements.

For possible federal minimum-wage or overtime violations, the Wage and Hour Division's complaint guide explains how to seek help. Its complaint information sheet identifies pay stubs and personal work-hour records as useful supporting information.

Other wage or statement disputes may belong with a state labor agency. Contact the relevant agency or a qualified adviser promptly rather than assuming an internal payroll request pauses any deadline. This checklist helps organize a correction request; it does not determine the legal outcome of a particular dispute.

Common pay-stub correction questions

What should I do first if my hours worked are wrong?

Match the pay period to your time record, list the dates and hours that differ, and send that comparison to payroll. Separate paid leave from hours actually worked; our PTO and overtime guide explains why paid hours alone may not establish overtime. Keep your original records while payroll investigates, and ask how any missing worked hours will be reflected in both gross pay and the corrected statement.

Does a corrected pay stub mean the money has been paid?

No. A revised statement and a completed payment are separate records. Ask whether an additional payment is due, its expected pay date, and how it will appear. Compare the corrected current net amount with the related payment or payments; do not count an updated year-to-date total as a new deposit.

How long should payroll take to fix an error?

There is no single deadline that this guide can apply to every state, pay issue, and worker. Ask payroll for a response date, but check applicable wage-payment rules promptly if wages appear unpaid. The federal Wage and Hour Division complaint process addresses matters within its authority; a state agency may handle other wage or statement issues. An internal request does not necessarily stop a legal deadline.

Content reviewed November 5, 2026.