<prompt> Human: I am a contracted employee. The owner of the business I work for is always two or three paychecks behind in paying me. I have to call and email him, pleading for him to pay me what is owed to me I have kept all of my email communications with him in regards to this. Now he is 5 paychecks behind in paying me March, April, first half of May. The company is based in Virginia and I am in West Virginia. What are my options?  <response>: Stop working, file in small claims. Even if you win in small claims, you may never see that money. As someone who went through this same exact thing, Im not awaiting a small claims trial after stopping work due to not being paid. Now, I wont ever go more than a week past due. It simply isnt worth it. 