Yes. After the administrative expenses of the bankruptcy case are paid, certain employee wage claims -- for unpaid wages or other forms of compensation -- are entitled to the highest priority treatment in most cases under the Bankruptcy Code - up to an amount not to exceed $12,850 as of April 1, 2016. per individual or corporation, as the case may be, earned within 180 days before the date of the filing of the petition or the date of the cessation of the debtor's business, whichever occurs first.
In order to receive priority treatment, the claims must:
Be for unpaid wages or other forms of compensation;
Have been earned within 180 days before the date of the filing of the petition or the date of the cessation of the debtor's business, whichever occurs first;
Additionally, the unpaid wages or other forms of compensation must have been earned as:
Wages, salaries or commissions, including vacation, severance, and sick leave pay earned by an individual; or,
Sales commissions earned by an individual; or,
By a corporation with only one employee, acting as an independent contractor in the sale of goods or services for the debtor in the ordinary course of the debtor's business if, and only if, during the 12 months preceding that date, at least 75 percent of the amount that the individual or corporation earned by acting as an independent contractor in the sale of goods or services was earned from the debtor.
The Bankruptcy Code preempts state statutes that recognize or allow for perfection of employee liens for unpaid wages.