Ch. 118                                    2003 LAWS OF MARYLAND

whether child support payments are in arrears, a court shall immediately authorize
service of an earnings withholding order on the effective date of the order.

(c)      [(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, when] WHEN
a court orders immediate service of an earnings withholding order on or after July 1,
1994, the court shall order payments[:

(i) in a case in which the Administration is providing support
services, ] through the State disbursement unit[; or

(ii) directly to the obligee's bank account.

(2) A party may request and the court may order that an employer send
payments directly to the obligee].

(d)     A court may not authorize the immediate service of an earnings
withholding order if:

(1)     any party demonstrates, and the court finds, that there is good cause
to not require immediate earnings withholding; or

(2)     the court approves of the terms of a written agreement of the parties
providing for an alternative method of payment.

(e)     If the court authorizes the immediate service of an earnings withholding
order, the court shall immediately cause a copy of the earnings withholding order to
be served on any employer of the obligor.

10-124.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this Part III, the Administration may
serve an earnings withholding notice on an employer of an obligor without the need
for any modification of the support order or any further action by a tribunal if:

(1) (i) a tribunal has issued a support order; and

(ii) the Administration is providing child support services under
Title IV, Part D, of the Social Security Act; or

(2)     an obligor requests the service of an earnings withholding notice.

(b) The Administration may serve an employer with an earnings withholding
notice using an electronic format if the employer has entered into an agreement with
the Administration to accept service of an earnings withholding notice in this manner.

(c) When the Administration serves an employer with an earnings
withholding notice under this section[,]:

(1) THE EMPLOYER SHALL PROVIDE THE OBLIGOR WITH A COPY OF THE
NOTICE WITHIN 2 DAYS AFTER THE EMPLOYER RECEIVES THE NOTICE; AND

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