In general, when the court orders a person to do something, only that person is responsible for doing it. In the case of child support, though, the rules differ somewhat.
According to the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, employers may have some liability for child support payments in certain situations.
Reporting
As an employer, you do have the responsibility to report on the hiring or rehiring of an employee who is in the child support system and has to make payments. You also need to report the withholding amounts you take from the employee’s checks. You also must report when an employee quits or you let him or her go from employment. Failure to properly report employment status could result in a fine and other financial penalties.
Wages
You need to make sure you comply with the law when withholding. Do not withhold over 50% of the pay. Also, if the employee receives tips that you control, then you must include those in earnings and withhold child support from them.
If you do not withhold child support properly, you could face a fine from the state.
Medical coverage
If you have an employee required to provide medical coverage as part of child support obligations, then you must enroll the child or children in the health insurance plan of the parent and provide proof of coverage. Otherwise, you will have to provide an explanation why you cannot provide coverage for the child. If you fail to follow protocol, you will face a fine.
Employers need to make sure they understand their obligations when dealing with the child support system. It can get costly to pay fines associated with cases if you make a mistake.
