Key facts
- Employers must comply with legal orders for wage garnishment.
- There are limits to how much an employer can garnish from an employee's wages.
- Employers cannot fire an employee solely because their wages are garnished.
When an employee's wages are subject to garnishment, employers are involved in the process but have defined limitations on their actions. Wage garnishment is a legal procedure where a court orders an employer to withhold a portion of an employee's earnings to satisfy a debt. Employers must adhere to these orders, but they cannot exceed the legally permissible limits on the amount that can be garnished. Furthermore, federal law protects employees from termination solely due to a single instance of wage garnishment. This protection is crucial for employees facing financial difficulties, ensuring they do not lose their employment as a direct result of a garnishment order.