6כָּל שָׂכִיר שֶׁשְּׂכָרוֹ בְּעֵדִים וּתְבָעוֹ בִּזְמַנּוֹ וְאָמַר בַּעַל הַבַּיִת נָתַתִּי לְךָ שְׂכָרְךָ וְהַשָּׂכִיר אוֹמֵר לֹא נָטַלְתִּי כְּלוּם תִּקְּנוּ חֲכָמִים שֶׁיִּשָּׁבַע הַשָּׂכִיר בִּנְקִיטַת חֵפֶץ וְיִטּל כְּדִין כָּל נִשְׁבָּע וְנוֹטֵל מִפְּנֵי שֶׁבַּעַל הַבַּיִת טָרוּד בְּפוֹעֲלָיו וְזֶה הַשָּׂכִיר נוֹשֵׂא נַפְשׁוֹ לָזֶה. אֲפִלּוּ הָיָה הַשָּׂכִיר קָטָן הַשָּׂכִיר נִשְׁבָּע וְנוֹטֵל. שְׂכָרוֹ שֶׁלֹּא בְּעֵדִים מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁיָּכוֹל לוֹמַר לֹא הָיוּ דְּבָרִים מֵעוֹלָם וְלֹא שְׂכַרְתִּיךָ נֶאֱמָן לוֹמַר שְׂכַרְתִּיךָ וְנָתַתִּי לְךָ שְׂכָרְךָ וְיִשָּׁבַע בַּעַל הַבַּיִת הֶסֵּת שֶׁנָּתַן אוֹ שְׁבוּעַת הַתּוֹרָה אִם הוֹדָה בְּמִקְצָת כִּשְׁאָר הַטְּעָנוֹת. הָיָה לוֹ עֵד אֶחָד שֶׁשְּׂכָרוֹ אֵינוֹ מוֹעִיל לוֹ כְּלוּם וְכֵן אִם תְּבָעוֹ אַחַר זְמַנּוֹ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁשְּׂכָרוֹ בְּעֵדִים הַמּוֹצִיא מֵחֲבֵרוֹ עָלָיו הָרְאָיָה. וְאִם לֹא הֵבִיא רְאָיָה יִשָּׁבַע בַּעַל הַבַּיִת הֶסֵּת. הֵבִיא רְאָיָה שֶׁתְּבָעוֹ כָּל זְמַנּוֹ הֲרֵי זֶה נִשְׁבָּע וְנוֹטֵל כָּל אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם שֶׁל תְּבִיעָה. כֵּיצַד. הָיָה עוֹשֶׂה עִמּוֹ בְּיוֹם שֵׁנִי עַד הָעֶרֶב זְמַנּוֹ כָּל לֵיל שְׁלִישִׁי וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי אֵינוֹ נִשְׁבָּע וְנוֹטֵל. וְאִם הֵבִיא עֵדִים שֶׁהָיָה תּוֹבְעוֹ כָּל לֵיל שְׁלִישִׁי הֲרֵי זֶה נִשְׁבָּע וְנוֹטֵל כָּל יוֹם שְׁלִישִׁי. אֲבָל מִלֵּיל רְבִיעִי וָהָלְאָה הַמּוֹצִיא מֵחֲבֵרוֹ עָלָיו הָרְאָיָה. וְכֵן אִם הֵבִיא עֵדִים שֶׁהָיָה תּוֹבְעוֹ וְהוֹלֵךְ עַד יוֹם חֲמִישִׁי הֲרֵי זֶה נִשְׁבָּע וְנוֹטֵל כָּל יוֹם חֲמִישִׁי:
The following rules apply whenever a worker who was hired in the presence of witnesses demands payment from his employer at the appointed time, the owner claims to have paid the wage, and the worker claims not to have received it. Our Sages ordained that, while holding a sacred object, the worker should take an oath that he did not receive his wage. He may then collect it according to the laws governing all those who take oaths and then collect their due. The rationale for this ruling is that the employer is busy managing his workers and the worker is pinning his soul on his wage. Even if the worker is a minor, the worker may take an oath and collect his wage. Different rules apply when the employer hired the worker without witnesses observing. Since the employer could say: "Such a thing never happened; I never hired you," we accept his claim when he says: "I hired you, and I paid you." Hence, the employer must take a sh'vuat hesset if he denies owing anything to the worker or a Scriptural oath if he admits a portion of his claim, as applies in all other suits. If there is one witness who testifies that the worker was hired, it is of no consequence. Similarly, if the worker demands payment after the day on which his wage is due, we follow the principle: "A person who wishes to expropriate money from a colleague must prove his claim." This applies even if there are witnesses that the employer hired him. If he does not prove his claim, the employer may support his claim with a sh'vuat hesset and be freed of liability. If the worker proves that he has been continually demanding payment, he may take an oath and collect his wage on the day on which he demands payment. What is implied? The worker performed labor for the employer on Monday until the evening. The time he should be paid is Monday night. On Tuesday, he can no longer take an oath and collect his wage. If he brings witnesses who testify that he demanded his wage throughout Monday night, he may take an oath and collect his wage throughout the day on Tuesday, but from Tuesday night onward, we follow the principle: "A person who wishes to expropriate money from a colleague must prove his claim." Similarly, if he has witnesses who testify that he had demanded his wage until Thursday, he may take an oath and collect his wage throughout the day on Thursday.
