This sheet is intended to answer employers’ frequently asked questions (FAQs) about changes made by the Maintenance Enforcement Program (MEP) to wage attachments and the personal exemptions allowed for debtors (payors of maintenance). These legislative changes, which took effect on May 1, 2005, introduce support deduction notices and change the formula employers will use to calculate the amount of money they deduct from employee’s wages to send to MEP.

What are support deduction notices?

Support deduction notices (SDNs) are legal documents issued by MEP that require the employer to deduct funds from an employee’s paycheque. Those funds are then sent to MEP to be applied against court-ordered maintenance payments. Prior to May 1, 2005, SDNs were known as “notices of continuing attachment”.

Why might MEP serve me with a support deduction notice?

To ensure that court-ordered support is received in full and on a timely basis, MEP encourages debtors to make their payments through an SDN. MEP may have issued an SDN to you because your employee volunteered to make payments by payroll deduction. Alternatively, an SDN may be served because the debtor has defaulted on his or her maintenance obligations. To protect our debtors’ privacy, neither MEP staff nor the SDN documents will say whether the SDN was issued at the debtor’s request or as a collection tool to collect overdue payments.

Our payroll office already has a continuing attachment from MEP that attaches all money over the debtor’s exemption. Do the changes affect what paperwork we fill out and how much we have to send MEP each month?

Yes, you will fill out a different calculation worksheet and send in a different amount to MEP effective immediately.

In the past, the amount of debtors’ wages that could not be attached by MEP was $525 per month, plus 30% of net wages over this amount. On May 1, 2005, this personal exemption given to debtors changed. Employers now have a quick and simple calculation to make as they are required to send MEP an amount equal to 40 per cent of the debtor’s gross wages. For example, if the employee earns a salary of $3,000 gross per month, you must send MEP $1,200.

A new Calculation of Payment Worksheet is available for you to submit with every payment you make to MEP. This worksheet is available on MEP’s website. It can also be obtained by fax through the MEP Info Line: phone 780-422-5555 or dial 310-0000 for toll-free access from anywhere in Alberta and follow the voice prompts. The catalogue number for the sheet is 99009.

What does “gross wages” mean?

Gross wages means all wages before any mandatory or voluntary deductions are made. This includes holiday pay, bonuses, incentive-based pay and overtime. You should also send MEP 40 per cent of all severance packages, although MEP is entitled to ask for 100 per cent of these monies and may occasionally ask for that full amount.

My employee does not earn very much money, so sending MEP 40 per cent of his/her gross salary seems too much. Is there anything we can do?

For debtors earning a gross annual salary of $15,000 or less, the 40 per cent may be too high. Please have your payroll office phone us to ask that the attachment be lowered to 20% of gross. MEP also encourages all debtors, whatever their income, to personally contact us. It is often possible for debtors to have their SDNs adjusted by making payment arrangements with us.

Our payroll office already has a continuing attachment that requires us to send a set amount of $475 to MEP each month from one employee’s paycheque. Do the new changes affect this attachment?

No. Existing attachments that require employers to send MEP a specific dollar amount each month are not affected by the changes. You will continue to send the $475 each month, without needing to fill out any Calculation of Payment Worksheet.

Our payroll office has some continuing attachments of wages that say they last 5 years. We have heard that the new SDNs will be in effect for 12 years. Will the old continuing attachments also last 12 years?

MEP keeps track of all attachments and their 5 year expiry date. At the end of the 5 years, MEP will send you a new SDN for that employee if it is necessary. If you do not get a new SDN at the end of the 5 year period, you can stop sending MEP money from the debtor’s paycheque.

Is there any change to how long we have to answer an SDN or send money?

No. Employers still have 15 days to answer an SDN by sending funds, confirming the employee’s pay arrangements, or advising MEP if the debtor is no longer in their employment.

Where can I get more information on the changes?

MEP welcomes inquiries from employers. Please phone our employer call queue, available on MEP’s phone system at 780-422-5555*. After reaching our MEP Info Line, press “0” and follow the voice prompts for directions. MEP can also be contacted at:

7th Floor, J.E. Brownlee Building,
10365-97 Street
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 3W7
Fax: 780-401-7575*
E-mail: albertamep@gov.ab.ca
Website: www.albertamep.gov.ab.ca
* dial 310-0000 for toll-free access anywhere in Alberta