There are laws in WA specifically designed to encourage timely payment of wages. If wages are wrongfully withheld, and legal action is required to force payment, the employer may be held liable for 2X wages plus attorneys fees. That being said, its generally best to start with one or two courteous letters requesting prompt payment. Sometimes innocent mistakes are made. You should always give employer reasonable opportunity to pay wages before resorting to stronger measures. The state Dept of L&I will often investigate a complaint of failure to pay wages for you or you can consult with an attorney to determine whether there is a valid claim worth pursuing if you cannot resolve it any other way.
You potentially have a wage claim under Washington and/or federal laws. The claim would seek the unpaid wages, plus a matching amount. It is possible that you could combine federal and state laws and seek three times the unpaid minimum wages, twice the bonus amount, plus recover your costs and attorney fees.
