Users' questions

What do employers need to know about wage garnishments?

What do employers need to know about wage garnishments?

Each garnishment order comes with a garnishment calculation worksheet. Employers should use this worksheet to determine how much money should be withheld. Any pay, which includes all wages, bonuses and commissions should be included in the garnishment calculations.

Can you get a wage garnishment for a student loan?

For garnishments related to student loans, only 15% of wages can be garnished. It is very important that the employer withholds the correct amount for garnishments. If there are any questions regarding how much should be paid, employers are instructed to contact the agency or court that issued the garnishment.

What happens when you get a writ of garnishment?

Once the employer receives the writ of garnishment, the employer is required to immediately start withholding the garnishment from the employee’s checks.

Can a person be subject to multiple garnishments?

There is often a lot of confusion surrounding employees who are subject to multiple garnishments. Simply speaking, the first garnishment order received is given the higher priority. However, there are exceptions to this rule. Child support and IRS garnishments are prioritized over other debts.

What happens when you get a wage garnishment from an employer?

Once the employer receives the writ of garnishment, the employer is required to immediately start withholding the garnishment from the employee’s checks. The employee will also be alerted of the garnishment order and will have a set amount of time to contest the order (the set time period is dependent on state law).

How long does a wage garnishment last in Washington State?

Reply. In Washington, a wage garnishment (other than for child support or spousal maintenance) is good for 60 days. After that, it end and the creditor, if still owed money, has to send a new wage garnishment to the employer. It normally takes at least 30 days for the new one to be issued, but it could be longer.

What’s the limit on how much you can be garnished for?

The amount that can be garnished is limited to 25% of your disposable earnings (what’s left after mandatory deductions) or the amount by which your weekly wages exceed 30 times the minimum wage, whichever is lower. Some states set a lower percentage limit for how much of your wages can be garnished.

Can a non answering garnishee be liable for wages?

In the few states that require a disclosure at the end of the garnishment (rather than at the beginning), the non-answering garnishee is usually liable for the amount that would have been withheld from the employees’ wages. Two states, Georgia and Wisconsin, provide employers with an affirmative defense to this nearly unfettered liability.