Posted in Wisconsin Workers Compensation Related News
Milwaukee Work Injury Lawyer
Ignoring your debts can eventually lead to wage garnishment, where a creditor or individual makes a request to the court for payments you are behind on. Garnishing wages is often the last course of action at collecting overdue debts. A person who is having trouble paying for necessities of living, including gas, rent and food may not be able to pay back these outstanding bills right away. It may be best to talk with your creditors about your situation to see if there is an agreement you can make, that does not involve garnishment. They may or may not be so flexible depending on how much you owe, and how long it has been since they received a payment. Here we have answered a series of questions many people about about the process of wage garnishment:
How does wage garnishment even begin?
A creditor or other entity requests to the court for a collection of wages from your earnings. Wage garnishment may only begin once the request has been approved. Then, the individual may be notified by mail about the garnishment, which can start anywhere between a few days, up to 30 days later. The garnishing of wages may not halt until that debt has been completely paid off.
What if an employee receives more than one wage garnishment?
Employees may feel embarrassed once their employer finds out about their financial status, and may even worry about if they will be let go or not. But, an employer is not permitted to fire an employee simply because one request for wage garnishment has been filed. However, if an employee accumulates more than one, they may not be as protected. Those who know they are not able to make payments regarding child support, alimony, debts or loans due to being in a financial hardship, may want to meet with a Milwaukee work injury lawyer at Hickey & Turim, SC immediately.
What should I do if I received a notice?
If you have received notice about the wage garnishment, you can take legal action by meeting with an attorney for advice. Depending on the laws for your state, you may have certain rights and be able to take steps to prevent the situation from escalating. An attorney can consult with you about your current financial situation, and help you decide what to do next. There may be laws that protect your finances to an extent, where only a specific amount of your earnings can be withheld for wage garnishment.
What may an attorney advise me to do?
The worst thing a person can do regarding wage garnishment is to ignore the situation. The individual may feel hopeless, as if they cannot control what is happening and may just give up. If someone just lets it happen without helping themselves, they may be faced with minimal alternatives. The best move may be to reach out to a creditor or other organization to show you are trying to be proactive about your debts. Sometimes a quick phone call can go a long way in finding a resolution that does not involve forced seizure of your earnings.
