Involuntary and Voluntary Pay Deductions: District of Columbia

Federal law and guidance on this subject should be reviewed together with this section.

Authors: Stuart R. Buttrick and Tareen Zafrullah, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

Summary

• An employer must begin withholding no later than the first pay period that occurs 10 days after the employer receives an income withholding order for child support. An employer must remit payments within seven business days after payday. Special rules apply to interstate income withholding orders. If an employee is terminated from employment, the employer must send a termination notice within 10 days. See Child Support Withholding.
• The District of Columbia limits the amount of disposable income that is subject to creditor garnishment. An employee suffering financial hardship may file a motion in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to allow a greater amount of his or her wages to be exempt from garnishment. An employer must remit amounts withheld to the creditor within 15 days after the end of the employee's last pay period of the month. Only one garnishment order issued against an employee may be satisfied at a time, and in the order in which received. See Creditor Garnishment Withholding.
• Individuals with unpaid state taxes may become subject to a tax levy. See Tax Levies.
• The District of Columbia does not allow employees to voluntarily assign their wages to another. See Voluntary Wage Assignments.