The employer doesn't just owe minimum wage; they owe whatever wage the employee was making at the time they did the work. You can't retroactively cut someone's

The employer doesn't just owe minimum wage; they owe whatever wage the employee was making at the time they did the work. You can't retroactively cut someone's salary. Once they've done the work, you owe them the money you agreed to pay. Not paying it is wage theft (which is a crime in most states). The moral of the story is: If an employer stops paying you, stop working for them immediately, demand to be paid immediately, and start looking for another job. Once they miss a payroll, it usually doesn't end well. Missing payroll is usually a sign of gross financial mismanagement.