Title 19-A: DOMESTIC RELATIONS

Part 3: PARENTS AND CHILDREN

Chapter 65: SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT

Subchapter 4: INCOME WITHHOLDING

§2662. Payor liability

Upon service of the notice required under section 2655, a payor is liable for any income that the payor knowingly fails to withhold and send to the department within 7 business days of the day on which the obligor is usually paid. The department, or obligee if the obligee implemented the withholding as a private action, may maintain a civil action against the payor for the income the payor does not withhold and send to the department as required by the support order and for the imposition of any of the civil penalties provided for in this section, plus attorney's fees and court costs.   [PL 2011, c. 528, §8 (AMD).]

1.  Failure to withhold.  A payor who knowingly fails to withhold income when income is usually paid to the obligor commits a civil violation for which a forfeiture not to exceed $100 for each failure to withhold may be adjudged.  

[PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. B, §2 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2 (AFF).]

2.  Failure to send income withheld.  A payor who knowingly fails to send income withheld to the department within 7 business days of its withholding commits a civil violation for which a forfeiture not to exceed $100 for each failure to timely send income withheld from an obligor may be adjudged.  

[PL 1997, c. 669, §12 (AMD).]

3.  Failure to notify.  A payor who knowingly fails to send the notification required by section 2661 commits a civil violation for which a forfeiture not to exceed $100 may be adjudged.  

[PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. B, §2 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2 (AFF).]

4.  Discrimination against obligors.  A payor who discharges from employment or refuses to employ an obligor or who takes disciplinary action against an obligor employed by the payor or who otherwise discriminates against the obligor because of the existence of a support order or an income withholding order or the obligations imposed upon the payor by an order is subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $5,000, payable to the State, to be recovered in a civil action. The payor is also subject to an action by the obligor for compensatory and punitive damages for those actions, plus attorney's fees and court costs.  

[PL 2011, c. 528, §9 (AMD).]

SECTION HISTORY

PL 1995, c. 694, §B2 (NEW). PL 1995, c. 694, §E2 (AFF). PL 1997, c. 669, §§11,12 (AMD). PL 2011, c. 528, §§8, 9 (AMD).