What percentage of employees have garnishments?
Sophia Koch
Updated on January 26, 2026
Each type of garnishment not only has a defined impact on each garnished employee, but also on their employers who bear the cost of wage garnishment administration and compliance. The study revealed that approximately 7 percent of the U.S. workforce had their wages garnished.
How common are wage garnishments?
Wage garnishment is more common than you might think. A report by ADP Research Institute found that 7.2% of the 13 million employees it assessed had wages garnished in 2013. For workers ages 35 to 44, the number hit 10.5%. The top reasons were child support; consumer debts and student loans; and tax levies.
How many Americans have their wages garnished?
Wage garnishment has been a growing issue in the United States for many years now. ADP—the nation’s largest payroll services provider—published a report in 2017 that found one in 14 American workers is carrying a wage garnishment. Of those individuals, 12 percent are carrying more than one.
Do garnishments affect your credit score?
A wage garnishment, which results after a court order says a lender can obtain money a borrower owes by going through the borrower’s employer, won’t show up on your credit report and therefore, won’t impact your credit score.
What’s the limit for a weekly wage garnishment?
For ordinary garnishments (i.e., those not for support, bankruptcy, or any state or federal tax), the weekly amount may not exceed the lesser of two figures: 25% of the employee’s disposable earnings, or the amount by which an employee’s disposable earnings are greater than 30 times the federal minimum wage (currently $7.25 an hour).
Can a employer garnish the wages of an employee?
A recent court case upholds the right of an employer to garnish wages if directed by a legal order. In a 2010 case, an employee sued his employer because the employer would not stop a tax garnishment or reduce the amount. The employee lost his case, and the appeals court upheld the decision. [ Bullock v.
What’s the maximum amount an employer can garnish for child support?
The maximum amount of wages garnished varies depending on the garnishment, but they range from 15 percent of disposable earnings for student loans to as much as 65 percent of disposable earnings for child support (if the employee is at least 12 weeks in arrears).
Can a federal Wage garnishment exceed the CCPA?
The CCPA contains no provisions controlling the priorities of garnishments, which are determined by state or other federal laws. However, in no event may the amount of any individual’s disposable earnings that may be garnished exceed the percentages specified in the CCPA.