If we will not be paid by our employer it will actually depend on various condition. Are you an online freelancer? Or are you onsite? I mean, do you report to your employer's office? Do you have a signed contract or any agreement?
If you work as a freelancer online, and is not under any agency or freelance site, tendency is, there is a high risk of getting paid. And if you won't be paid, there might be nothing that you can do. But if you are under an agency or an freelance site, you can always report such employer and they might help you. However, to lessen the risk of not being paid you might want to ask for an advanced payment say 5%. Nevertheless, working as a freelancer online still has the high risk of not getting paid.