What Is Wage Garnishment?

Wage garnishment is a legal process where a portion of a debtor's earnings is withheld by their employer and redirected to satisfy a debt or judgment. To file for wage garnishment, you need the debtor's current employer information.

This is where employment search services become essential. If the debtor has changed jobs or you don't have current employment information, a professional employment search can identify their current employer, position, and income range.

How Employment Searches Work

Our employment search accesses payroll databases, unemployment insurance records, new hire registries, and other institutional sources to identify current employment. Results typically include the employer name, address, and dates of employment.

This information is formatted for direct use in wage garnishment filings, saving you the time and effort of verifying employment through other means.

Filing for Garnishment

Once you have current employment information, you can file a Writ of Garnishment with the appropriate court. The court then issues an order to the employer directing them to withhold a specified percentage of the debtor's wages.

Federal law limits garnishment to 25% of disposable earnings or the amount by which weekly earnings exceed 30 times the federal minimum wage, whichever is less. Some states impose lower limits.