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How to Resolve Child Support Issues - There is a Solution
At trucking companies across the nation, many dispatchers, recruiters and operations managers often wonder why a recently hired driver suddenly quits after a few months. Everybody seemed to like him, he did a good job, he seemed to like working at your company.
How to Resolve Child Support Issues - There is a Solution
At trucking companies across the nation, many dispatchers, recruiters and operations managers often wonder why a recently hired driver suddenly quits after a few months. Everybody seemed to like him, he did a good job, he seemed to like working at your company.
Suddenly a notice comes in the mail to payroll to deduct for past due child support from the state. It’s different in every state of course, but it typically is such a large amount that it is hard for the driver to live and have this amount “deducted” from his pay. This notice usually arrives somewhere between one to four months after starting employment, depending on the state, your companies reporting schedule, what day of the quarter the driver started, etc.
A lot of good drivers leave a lot of good companies after a few months and move to the next one. Some go to companies where they are paid cash or with a 1099, frequently for less pay.
A lot of good drivers leave a lot of good companies after a few months and move to the next one. Some go to companies where they are paid cash or with a 1099, frequently for less pay.
So… What is a driver or employer to do? Everyone should pay child support; it’s the right and honorable thing to do. That is a given. A lot of smart divorce attorneys manage to have “alimony” or “spousal maintenance” classified as child support at the time of divorce. This makes it collectable by the state. This is a questionable practice, but it is done by divorce attorneys every day. To try and get this amount changed after a divorce is impossible. I know in the state of Missouri there is a six month waiting list to even talk to someone about a setting up a time for a hearing.
This article is not about the inherent bias in the legal system against fathers, but the intent is to make the outcome of divorce and ensuing child support workable for our drivers who find themselves in this situation.
Recruiters and HR Mangers at every trucking company need to be prepared to address and handle this with every driver who starts at your company.
Every Driver who has this issue following them needs to know that there is a solution to it, and it’s a lot easier than you may think. A lot of recruiters/HR Managers I know have responded negatively to my comments, and refer to drivers child support as none of their business and the driver just needs to pay it.
Having arrears in child support doesn’t make anyone irresponsible nor a bad parent or person for that matter. The system has worked against fathers for decades and many have tried in the past to resolve it, hit a brick wall and decided there was nothing that could be done about it. And they were probably right.
A lot has changed recently and now is the perfect time to address it and put it behind you.
Having arrears in child support doesn’t make anyone irresponsible nor a bad parent or person for that matter. The system has worked against fathers for decades and many have tried in the past to resolve it, hit a brick wall and decided there was nothing that could be done about it. And they were probably right.
A lot has changed recently and now is the perfect time to address it and put it behind you.
First of all, from the human resources perspective, you are helping your driver. This is what you should to be doing from a personal and professional perspective.
Second of all, as Human Resources professional, this is your responsibility as far as I’m concerned. If an employee has an issue that is affecting his job and tenure at your company, you should have a program in place to help them. This should be addressed during the onboarding process. Reach out and take action, help your fellow man and build a relationship.
Finally, you are helping the children involved by making consistent
child support payments a reality.
child support payments a reality.
The Solution
Nearly every state will adjust the deduction. There are phone numbers you can call where you can explain to them why you can’t afford the $300, $500 or more per week (usually its current child support plus arrears) they want to deduct and they will adjust it. This is not an official reduction of the amount owed, just an informal adjustment of what they will take out every week. In my experience the state will adjust it to a “livable” amount, $75 to $150 per week depending on salary, number of children, etc. This is usually accomplished within a week’s time frame. I have listed the numbers of the Child Support Agencies in each state below. All it takes is a phone call; just let them know you want to address current or future deductions being taken out of your check.
You can make a big difference in your life or your driver’s life, and children’s lives today by reaching out and helping yourself or your drivers…
ALABAMA
334-242-9300
mina.roussell@dhr.alabama.gov
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ALASKA907-269-6832
david.tredway@alaska.gov
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ARIZONA602-252-4045
dmoring@azdes.gov
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ARKANSAS
501-682-6828
mary.e.smith@ocse.state.ar.us
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CALIFORNIA
888-898-1745
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COLORADO
303-866-4300
csecustomerservice@state.co.us
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CONNECTICUT
860-424-4989, option 2
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DELAWARE
302-577-7171
www.dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dcse/index.html
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DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
202-724-2254
artish.jacobs@dc.gov
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FLORIDA
850-617-8099
csepassportdenial@dor.state.fl.us
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GEORGIA
404-657-3869
csetaxoffset@dhr.state.ga.us
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HAWAII
808-692-7000
wayne.y.izumi@hawaii.gov
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IDAHO
208-334-5715
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ILLINOIS
217-785-0283
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INDIANA
317-234-5700, option 3
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IOWA
515-242-6003
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KANSAS
785-296-2089
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KENTUCKY
502-564-2285
doris.moore@ky.gov
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LOUISIANA
225-342-4780225
carol.dewitt@la.gov
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MAINE
207-624-4111
kathy.levesque@maine.gov
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MARYLAND
800-332-6347
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MASSACHUSETTS
617-626-4156
glavin@dor.state.ma.us
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MICHIGAN
517-373-2932
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MINNESOTA
651-431-4400
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MISSISSIPPI
601-359-4879
temekka.williams@mdhs.state.ms.us
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MISSOURI
866-313-9960
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MONTANA
406-444-3739
cstclair@mt.us
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NEBRASKA
402-471-1400
julie.lavicky@nebraska.gov
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NEVADA
775-684-0704
cse@dwss.nv.gov https://dwss.nv.gov/
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NEW HAMPSHIRE
603-271-4680 http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/dcbcs/beas/nhcp/contact.htm
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NEW JERSEY
609-631-2670
dfd-lien-levy@dhs.state.nj.us
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NEW MEXICO
800-288-7207 (In State)800-585-7631
unit.intercept@state.nm.us
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OHIO
800-686-1556
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OKLAHOMA
405-522-0028
melody.rotan@okdhs.org
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OREGON
503-373-7300
sccuquestions@doj.state.or.us
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PENNSYLVANIA
800-932-0211
ra-crbcse@pa.gov
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RHODE ISLAND
401-458-4400
richildsupport@cse.state.ri.us
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SOUTH CAROLINA
803-898-9314
glenn.hastie@dss.sc.gov
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SOUTH DAKOTA700
605-773-3641
kathryn.piersol@state.sd.us
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TENNESSEE
800-838-6911
edward.canaday@tn.us
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TEXAS
800-252-8014
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UTAH
801-536-8500 ext. 22301
cdmiller@utah.gov
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VERMONT
802-241-2180
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VIRGINIA
800-468-8894
www.dss.virginia.gov/family/dcse.html
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VIRGIN ISLANDS
340-775-3070 ext. 5008
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WASHINGTON
360-664-5350
lsc@dshs.wa.gov
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WEST VIRGINIA
800-249-3778
www.wvdhhr.org/bcse/
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WISCONSIN
608-266-9909
marc.dibernardo@wisconsin.gov
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WYOMING
307-777-6948
brenda.lyttle@wyo.gov
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©18 Wheels of Justice 2012
