If you have received a notice of garnishment, that means you are an employer or income source for someone who is late or overdue paying their court-ordered child or spousal support or has requested to have their court-ordered child or spousal support garnished from their wages voluntarily.

In these cases, the Nova Scotia Maintenance Enforcement Program (MEP) has the authority to instruct you to

• withhold all or part of the money you pay that person
• send it to MEP instead

We will then send the money to the person who is owed the support (the recipient).

Once you receive the notice of garnishment, your payroll department or provider has 10 days to

• complete the wage information sheet and return it to MEP
• set up the deductions, as instructed, in the payroll system

The deductions should be taken from the employee’s net pay. You must continue making these deductions until MEP tells you when to stop.

Income sources can include

• wages, salary, or other remuneration (including vacation pay)
• a commission, bonus, piecework allowance, or similar target-oriented payment (this income is only available if the payor earns it)
• a benefit under an accident, disability, or sickness plan
• a disability, retirement, or other pension
• an annuity
• a fee for service
• rental income
• a shareholder’s loan or dividend on shares
• money from a trust in which the payor holds a beneficial interest
• other types of income such as federal benefits, insurance settlements, lottery winnings, inheritances, and any debt owed to the payor

Need help?

Call 902-424-0934 in HRM
Call 1-855-322-0934 outside HRM
Email nsmep@novascotia.ca