2023 New Mexico Statutes › Chapter 51 - Unemployment Compensation › Article 1 - Unemployment Compensation › Section 51-1-37 - Protection of rights and benefits.

A. Except as provided by Section 51-1-37.1 NMSA 1978, any agreement by an individual to waive, release or commute the individual's rights to benefits or any other rights under the Unemployment Compensation Law shall be void. No agreement by any individual in the employ of any person or concern to pay all or any portion of an employer's contributions or payments in lieu of contributions, required under the Unemployment Compensation Law from such employer, shall be valid. No employer shall directly or indirectly make or require or accept any deduction from the remuneration of individuals in the employer's employ to finance the employer's contributions or payments in lieu of contributions required from the employer or require or accept any waiver of any right hereunder by an individual in the employer's employ. Any employer or officer or agent of an employer who violates any provisions of this subsection shall, for each offense, be fined not less than one hundred dollars ($100) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) or be imprisoned for not more than six months, or both.
B. No individual claiming benefits shall be charged fees of any kind in any proceeding under the Unemployment Compensation Law by the department or its representatives or by any court or any officer thereof. Any individual claiming benefits and any employer in any proceeding before the secretary, the secretary's authorized representative or the board of review may be represented by counsel or any other duly authorized agent, but no such counsel or agent shall either charge or receive for such services more than an amount approved by the secretary. Any person who violates any provision of this subsection shall, for each such offense, be fined not less than fifty dollars ($50.00) nor more than five hundred dollars ($500) or imprisoned for not more than six months, or both.
C. Except as provided in Subsection D of this section, any assignment, pledge or encumbrance of any right to benefits that are or may become due or payable under the Unemployment Compensation Law shall be void, and such rights to benefits shall be exempt from levy, execution, attachment, garnishment or any other remedy provided for the collection of debt. Benefits received by any individual shall be exempt from a remedy for the collection of debts. Any waiver of any exemption provided for in this subsection is void.
D. The following actions for collection of the indicated obligations may be taken:
(1) deduction and withholding of amounts of unpaid child support pursuant to Section 51-1-37.1 NMSA 1978;
(2) levy by the federal internal revenue service pursuant to Section 6331(h)(2)(C) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; provided that arrangements have been made by the internal revenue service for reimbursement of the division for administrative costs incurred by the division that are attributable to the repayment of uncollected federal internal revenue taxes. Levy of federal income taxes will be made in accordance with such regulations as the secretary may prescribe; and
(3) deduction and withholding of amounts for food stamp overissuances pursuant to Section 51-1-37.2 NMSA 1978.
History:
Laws 1936 (S.S.), ch. 1, § 15; 1941 Comp., § 57-818; 1953 Comp., § 59-9-18; Laws 1973, ch. 216, § 8; 1978 Comp., § 51-1-37; 1979, ch. 280, § 40; 1981, ch. 348, § 1; 1982, ch. 41, § 3; 1998, ch. 91, § 6; 2023, ch. 104, § 11.
ANNOTATIONS
Cross references.
— For rules governing garnishment and writs of execution in the district, magistrate and metropolitan courts,
see
Rules 1-065.1, 2-801, and 3-801 NMRA, respectively.
For form for claim of exemptions on executions,
see
Rule 4-803 NMRA.
For form for order on claim of exemption and order to pay in execution proceedings,
see
Rule 4-804 NMRA.
For form for application for writ of garnishment and affidavit,
see
Rule 4-805 NMRA.
For form for notice of right to claim exemptions from execution,
see
Rule 4-808A NMRA.
For form for claim of exemption from garnishment,
see
Rule 4-809 NMRA.
For Section 6331(h) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
see
26 U.S.C. § 170.
The 2023 amendment,
effective July 1, 2023, removed an exception from a provision providing an exemption for unemployment benefits; and in Subsection C, after "Benefits received by any individual", deleted "so long as they are not mingled with other funds of the recipient", and after "collection of debts", deleted "except debts incurred for necessaries furnished to an individual or his spouse or dependents during the time when he was unemployed".
Applicability.
— Laws 2023, ch. 104, § 13 provided that the provisions of Laws 2023, ch. 104 apply to actions filed on or after July 1, 2023.
The 1998 amendment,
effective July 1, 1998, in Subsection C, substituted "in Subsection D of this section" for "by Section 51-1-37.1 NMSA 1978" at the beginning, added Subsection D, and made minor stylistic changes throughout the section.
Law reviews.
— For article, "Attachment in New Mexico - Part I," see 1 Nat. Res. J. 303 (1961).
For article, "Attachment in New Mexico - Part II," see 2 Nat. Res. J. 75 (1962).