Employers' obligations
Child support - employer obligations
This section covers your legal obligations as an employer to make child support deductions, and in regard to employee privacy and protection from discrimination.
See also common questions from employers about child support deductions.
Legal obligations to make deductions
As an employer, you are required by law to:
- deduct child support payments from an employee's wages if we instruct you to do so
- continue making the deductions until we (not the employee) instruct you to stop.
We will send you an initial notice explaining how to make and pay the deductions. You will receive additional notices when there is a change in the deductions amount or if the deductions are to stop.
In some cases we may ask you to deduct for a contractor or a commision agent. You are required to make these deductions also.
Legal obligations regarding employee privacy and protection from discrimination
As an employer, you are required by law to ensure employee privacy and protection from discrimination in child support matters. You cannot normally give out any information about the child support obligations of employees. The only two exceptions are:
- we ask for information
- when you are required to give information as part of your business (for example, if you are asked to show records to an Inland Revenue investigator).
It is an offence to discriminate against an employee or a potential employee because of their child support obligations.
Read the full statement about employee privacy and prejudice in Employer's guide (IR335).
If you need further information or clarification, please call us on freephone 0800 220 222.
Date published: 30 Mar 2005
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