2023 Oklahoma Statutes › Title 56. Poor Persons › §56-240.10. Action to require participation in certain programs by unemployed or underemployed obligors.

A. When child support services are being provided for the benefit of the child under the state child support plan as provided in Section 237 of this title, the Department may initiate an administrative or district court action to obtain an order to require an unemployed or underemployed obligor to participate in counseling, treatment, educational training, social skills training, employment training or job-finding programs, or the problem-solving court program under Section 14 of this act. "Underemployed" is defined as being employed less than full-time or in an occupation which pays less than employment which someone with the skills and education of the obligor could be reasonably expected to earn, so that the obligor cannot meet his support obligation. The Department shall give notice of this requirement to the obligor who is not complying with a district or administrative court order for support and whom the Department has reason to believe is unemployed or underemployed. The notice shall be served by the Department upon the obligor as provided in Section 2005 of Title 12 of the Oklahoma Statutes, or if there is an address of record on file with the central case registry pursuant to Section 112A of Title 43 of the Oklahoma Statutes, the notice may be served by regular mail at the address of record.
B. The notice shall state:
1. The name of the child for whom support is ordered and the custodian of the child;
2. That the obligor is not complying with the district or administrative court order for support and is delinquent in a certain amount;
3. That it appears that the obligor is unemployed or underemployed so that the obligor cannot meet the support obligation;
4. That the obligor shall appear on a date certain for a hearing to show cause why the obligor should not be ordered to participate in counseling, treatment, educational training, social skills training, employment training or job-finding programs or the problem-solving court program, and to accept available employment; and
5. That if it is determined that the obligor is unemployed or underemployed or if the obligor fails to appear, an order will be entered which will require the obligor to participate in counseling, treatment, educational training, social skills training, employment training or job-finding programs or the problem-solving court program and to accept available employment.
C. 1. At the hearing, or if the obligor fails to appear for the hearing, the court shall enter an order determining if the obligor is unemployed, underemployed or in need of services as described in subsection C of this section.
2. If the court finds the obligor is in need of services as described in this subsection, the order shall set forth the findings of the court and require that the obligor participate in counseling, treatment, educational training, social skills training, employment training or job-finding programs or the problem-solving court program, and accept available employment. The order shall state when the obligor shall report and to what location.
3. An administrative order may be docketed with the district court and shall be enforced in the same manner as any other order of the district court, including indirect civil contempt proceedings. A copy of the order will be mailed by the Department to the last-known address of the obligor.
D. The obligor may show good cause why an order should not be entered requiring the obligor to participate in counseling, treatment, educational training, social skills training, employment training or job-finding programs or the problem-solving court program and accept available employment. "Good cause" is defined as establishing by expert medical opinion that the person is mentally or physically unable to work or such other grounds as the Department determines by regulation constitutes good cause.
Added by Laws 1987, c. 230, § 21, eff. Oct. 1, 1987. Amended by Laws 2008, c. 407, § 17, eff. Nov. 1, 2008.