§21-5-2. Semimonthly payment of wages by railroads.
Every railroad company, authorized to do business by the
laws of this state shall, on or before the first day of each
month, pay the employees thereof the wages earned by them during
the first half of the preceding month, ending with the fifteenth
day thereof; and on or before the fifteenth day of each month,
pay the employees thereof the wages earned by them during the
last half of the preceding calendar month: Provided, That if, at
any time of payment, any employee shall be absent from his
regular place of labor, and shall not receive his wages through a
duly authorized representative, he shall be entitled to such
payment at any time thereafter upon demand upon the proper
paymaster at the place where such wages are usually paid and
where the next pay is due, and the proper mailing in the United
States post office of such payment in time to reach the usual
post office of the employee by the time aforesaid, in the usual
course of the mails, shall be a compliance with this section.
It shall not be lawful for any railroad company to enter
into or make any agreement with any employee for the payment of
wages of any such employee otherwise than as provided in this
section, except to pay such wages at shorter intervals than
herein provided. Every agreement made in violation of this
section shall be deemed to be null and void.