§ 28-14-6 - Payment of wages of deceased employees. - Rhode Island Statutes

SECTION 28-14-6

   § 28-14-6  Payment of wages of deceasedemployees. – (a) Any employer, including the state or a municipal corporation, may at anytime after thirty (30) days from the death of an employee pay all wages orpersonal earnings due to the deceased employee, in order of preference, to: (1)the surviving husband or wife; (2) children eighteen (18) years of age or olderin equal shares; (3) father and mother, or the survivor; (4) sisters andbrothers in equal shares of the deceased employee; or (5) the person who haspaid the funeral bill of the deceased employee; provided the employer has noactual notice of the issuance of any letters testamentary or letters ofadministration upon the estate of the deceased employee, or of the pendency ofany petition for them, provided the wages or personal earnings do not exceedthe sum of one hundred fifty dollars ($150).

   (b) The payment of wages or personal earnings as provided insubsection (a) of this section shall be a full discharge and release to theemployer from any claim for those wages or personal earnings by the estate ofthe deceased employee or any other person.

   (c) As a condition of payment, the employer may requiresatisfactory proof by affidavit or otherwise as to the relationship of theparties and may also require proper receipts or releases for the payment orpayments.