How can I address wage garnishment at work?

On Behalf of | Dec 20, 2022 | child support | 0 comments

The state of Washington provides a number of ways to enforce child support payments, such as wage garnishment. If you fail to make your support payments, your co-parent could ask a judge to order your employer to garnish some of your paycheck.

Being under a wage garnishment might be embarrassing to you, if not troubling. You may fear the garnishment could negatively impact your job. Nerdwallet explains how to handle the issue at your workplace.

Speak with your employer

Employers generally want to know that the private lives of their workers will not disrupt the workplace. You may reassure your employer by having a talk about your situation as early as possible. Depending on where you work, you might speak with your employer directly or contact the human relations department.

Your conversation can go over the specifics of your situation. You and your employer could establish how you can keep working while avoiding causing problems for the business.

Collect all relevant information

You should know if your employer has received legal documents ordering your garnishments. This gives you an opportunity to review the paperwork for any errors. Sometimes a garnishment order lists an incorrect debt or a previously paid debt.

Also, if you had a wage garnishment at your previous job and your last employer did not take out enough money, your current garnishment order may mandate that your current employer cover the missed amount. You may dispute the accuracy of the order if your previous employer had correctly garnished your wages.

Seek a solution

If you have fallen on hard financial times, you might consult your child support officer to find a resolution. It may be possible to lower your child support payments until you can find secure financial footing and resume higher support payments.