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OKLAHOMA CAPITOL -- Nearly 60 percent of the $165 million collected by Oklahoma’s child support enforcement in fiscal year 2003 was collected through the use of employee wage assignments.
“We rely heavily on businesses to help us collect and make sure these children are provided for,” said Ray Weaver, director, Oklahoma Department of Human Services Child Support Enforcement Division. “We value their cooperation and are always willing to help make this process as simple as possible.”
Employee wage assignments are easy to complete. If a portion of an employee’s wages is being withheld for child support, their employer will receive a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services form from the OKDHS Child Support Enforcement Division. This form will come with directions and the amount the employer is to withhold each month.
According to Weaver, although the majority of businesses cooperate when issued an employee wage assignment, there are still many who do not.
“Unfortunately some businesses choose to ignore wage assignment orders,” said Weaver. “Employee wage assignments are federally mandated and state laws detail specific penalties for non-compliance.”
According to Title 56 of the Oklahoma State Statutes, businesses that do not comply with employee wage assignments are liable for any amount up to the accumulated amount of child support that should be paid. Those businesses can also be fined up to $200 each time they fail to file a wage assignment. Some employers have been held economically accountable in the past.
If you receive a wage assignment order and have any questions, contact the Child Support Enforcement CARE line toll free at 1-800-522-2922, or click on www.okdhs.org/childsupport/.
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