2023 Revised Code of Washington › Title 26 - Domestic Relations › Chapter 26.23 - State Support Registry. › 26.23.060 - Income withholding order—Answer—Processing fee.

RCW 26.23.060
Income withholding order—Answer—Processing fee.
(1) The division of child support may issue an income withholding order:
(a) As authorized by a support order that contains a notice clearly stating that child support may be collected by withholding from earnings, wages, or benefits without further notice to the obligated parent; or
(b) After service of a notice containing an income-withholding provision under this chapter or chapter 74.20A RCW.
(2) The division of child support shall serve an income withholding order upon a responsible parent's employer or upon the employment security department for the state in possession of or owing any benefits from the unemployment compensation fund to the responsible parent pursuant to Title 50 RCW or from the paid family and medical leave program under Title 50A RCW:
(a) In the manner prescribed for the service of a summons in a civil action;
(b) By certified mail, return receipt requested;
(c) By electronic means if there is an agreement between the secretary and the person, firm, corporation, association, political subdivision, department of the state, or agency, subdivision, or instrumentality of the United States to accept service by electronic means; or
(d) By regular mail to a responsible parent's employer unless the division of child support reasonably believes that service of process in the manner prescribed in (a) or (b) of this subsection is required for initiating an action to ensure employer compliance with the withholding requirement.
(3) Service of an income withholding order upon an employer or employment security department requires the employer or employment security department to immediately make a mandatory payroll deduction from the responsible parent's unpaid disposable earnings or benefits paid by the employment security department. The amount to be withheld stated in the income withholding order is as follows:
(a) If the income withholding order is not for a lump sum payment under RCW 26.23.063, the employer or employment security department shall thereafter deduct each pay period the amount stated in the order divided by the number of pay periods per month. The payroll deduction each pay period shall not exceed 50 percent of the responsible parent's disposable earnings; or
(b) If the income withholding order is for a lump sum payment under RCW 26.23.063, the employer shall withhold the lump sum payment or the amount stated in the order, whichever is less, unless a portion of the lump sum payment is disposable earnings. If a portion of the lump sum payment is comprised of disposable earnings, 50 percent of the portion considered disposable earnings is not subject to the income withholding order.
(4) An income withholding order for support shall have priority over any wage assignment, garnishment, attachment, or other legal process.
(5) The income withholding order shall be in writing and include:
(a) The name and social security number of the responsible parent;
(b) The amount to be deducted from the responsible parent's disposable earnings each month, or alternate amounts and frequencies as may be necessary to facilitate processing of the payroll deduction;
(c) A statement that the total amount withheld shall not exceed 50 percent of the responsible parent's disposable earnings;
(d) The address to which the payments are to be mailed or delivered; and
(e) A notice to the responsible parent warning the responsible parent that, despite the payroll deduction, the responsible parent's privileges to obtain and maintain a license, as defined in RCW 74.20A.320, may not be renewed, or may be suspended if the parent is not in compliance with a support order as defined in RCW 74.20A.320.
(6) An informational copy of the income withholding order shall be mailed to the last known address of the responsible parent by regular mail.
(7) An employer or employment security department that receives an income withholding order shall make immediate deductions from the responsible parent's unpaid disposable earnings and remit proper amounts to the Washington state support registry within seven working days of the date the earnings are payable to the responsible parent.
(8) An employer, or the employment security department, upon whom an income withholding order is served, shall make an answer to the division of child support within 20 days after the date of service. The answer shall confirm compliance and institution of the payroll deduction or explain the circumstances if no payroll deduction is in effect. The answer shall also state whether the responsible parent is employed by or receives earnings from the employer or receives benefit payments from the employment security department, whether the employer or employment security department anticipates paying earnings or benefits and the amount of earnings or benefit payments. If the responsible parent is no longer employed, or receiving earnings from the employer, the answer shall state the present employer's name and address, if known. If the responsible parent is no longer receiving benefit payments from the employment security department, the answer shall state the present employer's name and address, if known.
The returned answer or a payment remitted to the division of child support by the employer constitutes proof of service of the income withholding order in the case where the order was served by regular mail.
(9) The employer may deduct a processing fee from the remainder of the responsible parent's earnings after withholding under the income withholding order, even if the remainder is exempt under RCW 26.18.090. The processing fee may not exceed: (a) Ten dollars for the first disbursement made to the Washington state support registry; and (b) one dollar for each subsequent disbursement to the registry.
(10) The income withholding order shall remain in effect until released by the division of child support, the court enters an order terminating the income withholding order and approving an alternate arrangement under RCW 26.23.050, or until the employer no longer employs the responsible parent and is no longer in possession of or owing any earnings to the responsible parent. The employer shall promptly notify the office of support enforcement when the employer no longer employs the parent subject to the income withholding order. For the employment security department, the income withholding order shall remain in effect until released by the division of child support or until the court enters an order terminating the income withholding order.
(11) The division of child support must use income withholding forms adopted and required by the United States department of health and human services to take withholding actions under this section whether the responsible parent is receiving earnings or unemployment compensation in this state or in another state.
[ 2023 c 248 § 3; 2021 c 35 § 15; 2020 c 125 § 15; 2019 c 13 § 66. Prior: 2000 c 86 § 4; 2000 c 29 § 1; 1998 c 160 § 8; 1997 c 58 § 890; 1994 c 230 § 10; 1991 c 367 § 40; 1989 c 360 § 32; 1987 c 435 § 6.]
NOTES:
Findings—2023 c 248: See note following RCW 26.23.063.
Severability—2000 c 29: "If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [ 2000 c 29 § 2.]
Conflict with federal requirements—2000 c 29: "If any part of this act is found to be in conflict with federal requirements that are a prescribed condition to the allocation of federal funds to the state or the eligibility of employers in this state for federal unemployment tax credits, the conflicting part of this act is inoperative solely to the extent of the conflict, and the finding or determination does not affect the operation of the remainder of this act. Rules adopted under this act must meet federal requirements that are a necessary condition to the receipt of federal funds by the state or the granting of federal unemployment tax credits to employers in this state." [ 2000 c 29 § 3.]
Effective date—2000 c 29: "This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately [March 17, 2000]." [ 2000 c 29 § 4.]
Effective date—1998 c 160 §§ 1, 5, and 8: See note following RCW 74.20A.080.
Short title—Part headings, captions, table of contents not law—Exemptions and waivers from federal law—Conflict with federal requirements—Severability—1997 c 58: See RCW 74.08A.900 through 74.08A.904.
Effective dates—Intent—1997 c 58: See notes following RCW 74.20A.320.
Severability—Effective date—Captions not law—1991 c 367: See notes following RCW 26.09.015.