Rhode Island General Laws Title 28. Labor and Labor Relations § 28-14-6. Payment of wages of deceased employees

(a) Any employer, including the state or a municipal corporation, may at any time after thirty (30) days from the death of an employee pay all wages or personal 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 older in equal shares; (3) father and mother, or the survivor; (4) sisters and brothers in equal shares of the deceased employee; or (5) the person who has paid the funeral bill of the deceased employee; provided the employer has no actual notice of the issuance of any letters testamentary or letters of administration upon the estate of the deceased employee, or of the pendency of any petition for them, provided the wages or personal earnings do not exceed the sum of one hundred fifty dollars ($150).

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

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