(1) The secretary may issue to any person, firm, corporation, association, political subdivision, department of the state, or agency, subdivision, or instrumentality of the United States, an order to withhold and deliver property of any kind, including but not restricted to earnings which are or might become due, owing, or belonging to the debtor, when the secretary has reason to believe that there is in the possession of such person, firm, corporation, association, political subdivision, department of the state, or agency, subdivision, or instrumentality of the United States property which is or might become due, owing, or belonging to said debtor. Such order to withhold and deliver may be issued:

(a) At any time, if a responsible parent's support order:

(i) Contains notice that withholding action may be taken against earnings, wages, or assets without further notice to the parent; or

(ii) Includes a statement that other income-withholding action under this chapter may be taken without further notice to the responsible parent;

(b) Twenty-one days after service of a notice of support debt under RCW 74.20A.040;

(c) Twenty-one days after service of a notice and finding of parental responsibility under RCW 74.20A.056;

(d) Twenty-one days after service of a notice of support owed under RCW 26.23.110;

(e) Twenty-one days after service of a notice and finding of financial responsibility under RCW 74.20A.055; or

(f) When appropriate under RCW 74.20A.270.

(2) The order to withhold and deliver shall:

(a) State the amount to be withheld on a periodic basis if the order to withhold and deliver is being served to secure payment of monthly current support;

(b) State the amount of the support debt accrued;

(c) State in summary the terms of RCW 74.20A.090 and 74.20A.100;

(d) Be served:

(i) In the manner prescribed for the service of a summons in a civil action;

(ii) By certified mail, return receipt requested;

(iii) By electronic means if there is an agreement between the secretary and the person, firm, corporation, association, political subdivision, department of the state, or agency, subdivision, or instrumentality of the United States to accept service by electronic means;

(iv) By regular mail to a responsible parent's employer unless the division of child support reasonably believes that service of process in the manner prescribed in (d)(i) or (ii) of this subsection is required for initiating an action to ensure employer compliance with the withholding requirement; or

(v) By regular mail to an address if designated by the financial institution as a central levy or garnishment address, and if the notice is clearly identified as a levy or garnishment order. Before the division of child support may initiate an action for noncompliance with a withholding action against a financial institution, the division of child support must serve the order to withhold and deliver on the financial institution in the manner described in (d)(i) or (ii) of this subsection.

(3) The division of child support must use income withholding forms adopted and required by the United States department of health and human services to take withholding actions under this section.

(4) Any person, firm, corporation, association, political subdivision, department of the state, or agency, subdivision, or instrumentality of the United States upon whom service has been made is hereby required to:

(a) Answer said order to withhold and deliver within twenty days, exclusive of the day of service, under oath and in writing, and shall make true answers to the matters inquired of therein; and

(b) Provide further and additional answers when requested by the secretary.

(5) The returned answer or a payment remitted to the division of child support by the employer constitutes proof of service of the order to withhold and deliver in the case where the order was served by regular mail.

(6) Any such person, firm, corporation, association, political subdivision, department of the state, or agency, subdivision, or instrumentality of the United States in possession of any property which may be subject to the claim of the department shall:

(a)(i) Immediately withhold such property upon receipt of the order to withhold and deliver; and

(ii) Within seven working days deliver the property to the secretary;

(iii) Continue to withhold earnings payable to the debtor at each succeeding disbursement interval as provided for in RCW 74.20A.090, and deliver amounts withheld from earnings to the secretary within seven working days of the date earnings are payable to the debtor;

(iv) Deliver amounts withheld from periodic payments to the secretary within seven working days of the date the payments are payable to the debtor;

(v) Inform the secretary of the date the amounts were withheld as requested under this section; or

(b) Furnish to the secretary a good and sufficient bond, satisfactory to the secretary, conditioned upon final determination of liability.

(7) An order to withhold and deliver served under this section shall not expire until:

(a) Released in writing by the division of child support;

(b) Terminated by court order;

(c) A person or entity, other than an employer as defined in Title 50 RCW, who has received the order to withhold and deliver does not possess property of or owe money to the debtor; or

(d) An employer who has received the order to withhold and deliver no longer employs, contracts, or owes money to the debtor under a contract of employment, express or implied.

(8) Where money is due and owing under any contract of employment, express or implied, or is held by any person, firm, corporation, or association, political subdivision, or department of the state, or agency, subdivision, or instrumentality of the United States subject to withdrawal by the debtor, such money shall be delivered by remittance payable to the order of the secretary.

(9) Delivery to the secretary of the money or other property held or claimed shall satisfy the requirement and serve as full acquittance of the order to withhold and deliver.

(10) A person, firm, corporation, or association, political subdivision, department of the state, or agency, subdivision, or instrumentality of the United States that complies with the order to withhold and deliver under this chapter is not civilly liable to the debtor for complying with the order to withhold and deliver under this chapter.

(11) The secretary may hold the money or property delivered under this section in trust for application on the indebtedness involved or for return, without interest, in accordance with final determination of liability or nonliability.

(12) Exemptions contained in RCW 74.20A.090 apply to orders to withhold and deliver issued under this section.

(13) The secretary shall also, on or before the date of service of the order to withhold and deliver, mail or cause to be mailed a copy of the order to withhold and deliver to the debtor at the debtor's last known post office address, or, in the alternative, a copy of the order to withhold and deliver shall be served on the debtor in the same manner as a summons in a civil action on or before the date of service of the order or within two days thereafter. The copy of the order shall be mailed or served together with a concise explanation of the right to petition for judicial review. This requirement is not jurisdictional, but, if the copy is not mailed or served as in this section provided, or if any irregularity appears with respect to the mailing or service, the superior court, in its discretion on motion of the debtor promptly made and supported by affidavit showing that the debtor has suffered substantial injury due to the failure to mail the copy, may set aside the order to withhold and deliver and award to the debtor an amount equal to the damages resulting from the secretary's failure to serve on or mail to the debtor the copy.

(14) An order to withhold and deliver issued in accordance with this section has priority over any other wage assignment, garnishment, attachment, or other legal process.

(15) The division of child support shall notify any person, firm, corporation, association, or political subdivision, department of the state, or agency, subdivision, or instrumentality of the United States required to withhold and deliver the earnings of a debtor under this action that they may deduct a processing fee from the remainder of the debtor's earnings, even if the remainder would otherwise be exempt under RCW 74.20A.090. The processing fee shall not exceed ten dollars for the first disbursement to the department and one dollar for each subsequent disbursement under the order to withhold and deliver.

Effective date—1998 c 160 ss 1, 5, and 8: "Sections 1, 5, and 8 of this act take effect October 1, 1998." [ 1998 c 160 s 9.]

Short title—Part headings, captions, table of contents not law—Exemptions and waivers from federal law—Conflict with federal requirements—Severability—1997 c 58: See RCW 74.08A.900 through 74.08A.904.

Effective dates—1989 c 360 ss 9, 10, 16, and 39: See note following RCW 74.20A.060.

Effective date—1989 c 175: See note following RCW 34.05.010.

Severability—1979 ex.s. c 171: See note following RCW 74.20.300.