96-18.1. Attachment and garnishment of fraudulent overpayment.

(a) Applicability. - This section applies to an individual who has been provided notice of a determination or an appeals decision finding that the individual, or another individual acting in the individual's behalf and with the individual's knowledge, has knowingly done one or more of the following to obtain or increase a benefit or other payment under this Chapter:

(1) Made a false statement or misrepresentation.

(2) Failed to disclose a material fact.

(b) Attachment and Garnishment. - Intangible property that belongs to an individual, is owed to an individual, or has been transferred by an individual under circumstances that would permit it to be levied upon if it were tangible property is subject to attachment and garnishment in payment of a fraudulent overpayment that is due from the individual and is collectible under this Article. Intangible personal property includes bank deposits, rent, salaries, wages, property held in the Escheat Fund, and any other property incapable of manual levy or delivery.

A person who is in possession of intangible property that is subject to attachment and garnishment is the garnishee and is liable for the amount the individual owes. The liability applies only to the amount of the individual's property in the garnishee's possession, reduced by any amount the individual owes the garnishee.

The Secretary may submit to a financial institution, as defined in G.S. 53B-2, information that identifies an individual who owes a fraudulent overpayment that is collectible under this section and the amount of the overpayment. The Secretary may submit the information on a quarterly basis or, with the agreement of the financial institution, on a more frequent basis. A financial institution that receives the information must determine the amount, if any, of intangible property it holds that belongs to the individual and must inform the Secretary of its determination. The Secretary must reimburse a financial institution for its costs in providing the information, not to exceed the amount payable to the financial institution under G.S. 110-139 for providing information for use in locating a noncustodial parent.

No more than ten percent (10%) of an individual's wages or salary is subject to attachment and garnishment. The wages or salary of an employee of the United States, the State, or a political subdivision of the State are subject to attachment and garnishment.

(c) Notice. - Before the Secretary attaches and garnishes intangible property in payment of a fraudulent overpayment, the Secretary must send the garnishee a notice of garnishment. The notice must be sent either in person, by certified mail with a return receipt requested, or with the agreement of the garnishee, by electronic means. The notice must contain all of the following information:

(1) The individual's name.

(2) The individual's social security number or federal identification number.

(3) The amount of fraudulent overpaid benefits the individual owes.

(4) An explanation of the liability of a garnishee for fraudulent overpayment of unemployment insurance benefits owed by an overpaid individual.

(5) An explanation of the garnishee's responsibility concerning the notice.

(d) Action. - A garnishee must comply with a notice of garnishment or file a written response to the notice within the time set in this subsection. A garnishee that is a financial institution must comply or file a response within 20 days after receiving a notice of garnishment. All other garnishees must comply or file a response within 30 days after receiving a notice of garnishment. A written response must explain why the garnishee is not subject to garnishment and attachment.

Upon receipt of a written response, the Department must contact the garnishee and schedule a conference to discuss the response or inform the garnishee of the Department's position concerning the response. If the Department does not agree with the garnishee on the garnishee's liability, the Department may proceed to enforce the garnishee's liability for the fraudulent overpayment of unemployment benefits by civil action.