employee prohibited -- Liability for discharge -- Earnings subject to support lien or garnishment. (1) (a) Every person, firm, corporation, association, political subdivision, or department of the state shall honor, according to its terms, a duly executed voluntary assignment of earnings which is presented by the office as a plan to satisfy or retire a support debt or obligation. (b) The requirement to honor an assignment of earnings, and the assignment of earnings itself, are applicable whether the earnings are to be paid presently or in the future, and continue in effect until released in writing by the office. (c) Payment of money pursuant to an assignment of earnings presented by the office shall serve as full acquittance under any contract of employment, and the state shall defend the employer and hold the employer harmless for any action taken pursuant to the assignment of earnings. (d) The office shall be released from liability for improper receipt of money under an assignment of earnings upon return of any money so received. (2) An employer may not discharge or prejudice any employee because the employee's earnings have been subjected to support lien, wage assignment, or garnishment for any indebtedness under this part. (3) If an employer discharges an employee in violation of Subsection (2), the employer is liable to the employee for the damages the employee may suffer, and, additionally, to the office in an amount equal to the debt which is the basis of the assignment or garnishment, plus costs, interest, and attorney fees, or a maximum of $1,000, whichever is less. (4) The maximum part of the aggregate disposable earnings of an individual for any work pay period which may be subjected to a garnishment to enforce payment of a judicial or administrative judgment arising out of failure to support children may not exceed 50% of the individual's disposable earnings for the work pay period. (5) The support lien or garnishment shall continue to operate and require the employer to withhold the nonexempt portion of earnings at each succeeding earnings disbursement interval until released in writing by the court or office.
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