System Management - Payroll

C.E.S.P. 9-8: Garnishments and Salary Liens

Date Revised: 4-23-2001
Supersedes: 9-9-1999

Summary:  Establishes policy regarding garnishments and liens levied against an employee's salary.

If an employee's salary/wages and/or other amounts due from Cooperative Extension Service are seized by a court order of garnishment, Cooperative Extension Service is required to comply with such an order. Governmental liens such as those resulting from claims for unpaid taxes, bankruptcy claims, and child support orders must also be honored.

When Cooperative Extension Service receives such a court order or lien, it must pay the appropriate amount to the clerk of the court or to the governmental agency. Any defenses the employee wishes to make must be made to the court or the governmental agency.

As allowed by law, an administrative charge of $2.50 per paycheck will be assessed on child support garnishments.

Because a substantial amount of time and expense is used in processing wage garnishments and liens, it will be considered grounds for dismissal when two salary liens or a combination of one of each type of seizure is processed against a Cooperative Extension Service employee during a twelve-month period.

Multiple garnishment orders resulting from the same debt or same judgment will be treated as a single garnishment. Also, multiple assertions of salary liens resulting from the same bankruptcy order or same debt for taxes due to the same governmental unit will also be treated as a single lien.

Notices of such legal actions received in county Extension offices should be immediately forwarded to the business office.