5242 - Income deduction order for support enforcement.

§  5242.  Income  deduction  order  for  support enforcement. (a) Upon  application of a creditor, for good cause shown, and upon such terms  as  justice  may  require,  the  court may correct any defect, irregularity,  error or omission in an income execution for support enforcement  issued  pursuant to section 5241 of this article.    (b)  Upon  application  of a creditor, for good cause shown, the court  may  enter  an  income  deduction  order  for  support  enforcement.  In  determining  good  cause, the court may take into consideration evidence  of the degree of such debtor's  past  financial  responsibility,  credit  references,  credit  history,  and  any other matter the court considers  relevant in determining the likelihood of payment in accordance with the  order of support. Proof  of  default  establishes  a  prima  facie  case  against  the debtor, which can be overcome only by proof of the debtor's  inability to make the payments. Unless the prima facie case is overcome,  the court shall enter an income deduction order for support  enforcement  pursuant to this section.    (c) (1) When the court enters an order of support on behalf of persons  other  than  those  in  receipt  of  public  assistance or in receipt of  services pursuant to section one hundred eleven-g of the social services  law, or registers pursuant to article five-B of the family court act  an  order  of  support  which  has been issued by a foreign jurisdiction and  which is not to be enforced pursuant to title six-A of article three  of  the  social services law, where the court determines that the respondent  earns wages that could be subject to  an  income  deduction  order,  the  court  shall  issue  an  income deduction order to obtain payment of the  order at the same time it issues or registers the order. The court shall  enter the income deduction order unless the court finds and  sets  forth  in  writing  (i)  the  reasons  that  there is good cause not to require  immediate income withholding; or (ii) that an agreement providing for an  alternative arrangement has  been  reached  between  the  parties.  Such  agreement  may  include a written agreement or an oral stipulation, made  on the record, that results in a written order.  For  purposes  of  this  subdivision,  good  cause shall mean substantial harm to the debtor. The  absence of an arrearage or the mere  issuance  of  an  income  deduction  order  shall  not  constitute good cause. When the court determines that  there is good cause not to issue an income deduction  order  immediately  or  when  the parties agree to an alternative arrangement as provided in  this paragraph, the court shall state expressly in the order of  support  the  basis for its decision. In entering the income deduction order, the  court shall specify an amount to be withheld by the  debtor's  employer,  which shall be sufficient to ensure compliance with the order of support  and  also  shall  include  an  additional  amount  to  be applied to the  reduction of arrears, if any, and shall specify  the  names,  addresses,  and social security numbers of the parties to the support proceeding and  the mailing address of the unit within the state office of temporary and  disability  assistance  designated to receive such deductions. The court  shall transmit copies of such order to the parties and to such unit.    (2) An employer served with an income deduction order entered pursuant  to this subdivision shall commence deductions from  the  income  due  or  thereafter  due  to  the  debtor no later than the first pay period that  occurs fourteen days after service of the income  deduction  order,  and  shall  remit  payments  to  the state office of temporary and disability  assistance pursuant to  subdivision  fourteen  of  section  one  hundred  eleven-b of the social services law within ten days of the date that the  debtor  is  paid.  Each  payment  remitted by the employer shall be made  payable to the creditor named in the order, and shall include the names,  addresses, and social security numbers of the debtor and  the  creditor,  and  the  date and the amount of each withholding of the debtor's incomeincluded in the payment. An employer shall be liable to the creditor for  failure to deduct the amounts specified in the income  deduction  order,  provided however that deduction by the employer of the amounts specified  shall not relieve the debtor of the underlying obligation of support. If  an employer shall fail to so pay the creditor, the creditor may commence  a  proceeding against the employer for accrued deductions, together with  interest and reasonable attorney's fees. If the debtor's  employment  is  terminated  by resignation or dismissal at any time after service of the  income deduction order, the order shall cease to have force  and  effect  unless  the debtor is reinstated or re-employed by the same employer. An  employer must notify the creditor promptly when  the  debtor  terminates  employment  and  must provide the debtor's last address and the name and  address of the debtor's new employer, if  known.  Where  the  income  is  compensation  paid  or  payable to the debtor for personal services, the  amount withheld by the employer shall not exceed the following:    (i) Where the debtor currently is supporting  a  spouse  or  dependent  child  other  than  the  creditor's dependent child, the amount withheld  shall not exceed fifty percent of the earnings of the  debtor  remaining  after  the  deduction  therefrom  of  any  amounts required by law to be  withheld ("disposable  earnings"),  except  that  if  any  part  of  the  deduction  is to be applied to the reduction of arrears which shall have  accrued more than twelve weeks prior to the beginning of  the  week  for  which  such  earnings  are payable, the amount withheld shall not exceed  fifty-five percent of disposable earnings.    (ii) Where  the  debtor  currently  is  not  supporting  a  spouse  or  dependent  child  other  than the creditor's dependent child, the amount  withheld shall not exceed sixty percent of the earnings  of  the  debtor  remaining  after  the deduction therefrom of any amounts required by law  to be withheld ("disposable earnings"), except that if any part  of  the  deduction  is to be applied to the reduction of arrears which shall have  accrued more than twelve weeks prior to the beginning of  the  week  for  which  such  earnings  are payable, the amount withheld shall not exceed  sixty-five percent of disposable earnings.    (d) An order pursuant to this section shall  take  priority  over  any  other  assignment,  levy  or  process. If an employer or income payor is  served with more than one income deduction order pertaining to a  single  employee  pursuant  to this section, or with an order issued pursuant to  this section and also an execution pursuant  to  section  5241  of  this  chapter,  and  if the combined total amount of the income to be withheld  exceeds the limits set forth in subdivision (c)  of  this  section,  the  employer  or  income  payor  shall withhold the maximum amount permitted  thereby and pay to each creditor  that  proportion  thereof  which  such  creditor's claim bears to the combined total.    (e)  An  employer  or income payor shall be liable to the creditor for  failure to deduct the amounts specified, provided however that deduction  of the amounts specified by the  employer  or  income  payor  shall  not  relieve the debtor of the underlying obligation of support.    (f)  A  creditor  shall not be required to issue process under section  5241 of this article prior to obtaining relief pursuant to this section.    (g) Where the court issues  an  income  deduction  order  for  support  enforcement  payable  to  the  support  collection  unit,  as defined in  paragraph nine of subdivision (a) of section 5241 of this article,  each  payment  remitted  by  an  employer  or  income  payor shall include, in  addition to the identity and social security number of the  debtor,  the  date  and  amount of each withholding of the debtor's income included in  the payment.