(a) Each salary payment for any calendar month may be made on the last working day of the month and shall be paid not earlier than the last working day of the month and not later than the fifth day of the succeeding calendar month except that teachers employed for less than full time in classes for adults, in a day or evening high school, or in a special day or evening class maintained in connection with an elementary school shall be paid on or before the 10th day of the succeeding calendar month for services performed during the preceding calendar month.

(b) If the school district provides for the payment of the salary of employees employed in positions requiring certification qualifications once each two weeks, twice a month, or once each four weeks, pursuant to Section 45038, each salary payment may be made on the last working day of the regular payroll period and shall be made not earlier than the last working day of the regular payroll period and not later than the eighth working day of the following regular payroll period.

(c) If a salary payment is not made timely as required by this section, the amount of the salary payment due shall be increased by an amount of interest on the unpaid amount for each day of delay.

(d) A certificated employee of a school district who qualifies for a salary increase shall be paid the increased salary not later than three regular pay periods or three months, whichever is longer, after the employee files proper documentation where required for the salary increase. The district shall additionally pay the employee daily interest on the amount owed to the employee calculated from the date that the employee was entitled to the salary increase if the school district does not pay the employee his or her salary increase within three regular pay periods or three months, whichever period is longer, after the employee files proper documentation where required for the salary increase. All amounts due the employee resulting from the salary increase and not paid to the employee at the time that the employee actually receives the salary increase shall be paid to the employee within 20 business days of the date that the employee actually received the salary increase. The district shall additionally pay the employee daily interest on the amount owed to the employee calculated from the date that the employee was entitled to the salary increase if the district does not pay the employee all amounts due the employee resulting from the salary increase within 20 business days following the date that the employee actually received the salary increase.

(e) The amount of interest required by subdivisions (c) and (d) shall be determined by the method established in § 19521 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.

(f) This section shall not prohibit a school district from making a payment of earned salary before the last working day of the month or regular payroll period.

(Amended by Stats. 1999, Ch. 287, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2000.)