Wage garnishment (also known as wage attachment or wage assignment) is a legal procedure in which a person's earnings are required by court order to be withheld by an employer for the payment of a debt such as child support, spousal or partner support, or a judgment in a civil lawsuit.

Title III of the federal Consumer Credit Protection Act (CCPA) prohibits an employer from discharging an employee whose earnings have been subject to garnishment for any one debt, regardless of the number of levies made or proceedings brought to collect it. Title III also limits the amount of an employee’s earnings that may be garnished in any one week. But it does not protect an employee from discharge if the employee's earnings have been subject to garnishment for a second or subsequent debts.

Title III applies to all individuals who receive personal earnings and to their employers. Personal earnings include wages, salaries, commissions, bonuses, and income from a pension or retirement program, but does not ordinarily include tips.

States also have laws governing wage garnishment, attachment, or assignment, and these laws vary from state to state.

In Iowa, wage garnishment is a legal process where a court can order an employer to withhold a portion of an employee's earnings to pay off debts such as child support, alimony, or civil judgment debts. Under Title III of the federal Consumer Credit Protection Act (CCPA), there are protections in place for employees facing wage garnishment. Specifically, an employer cannot terminate an employee for the garnishment of wages for a single debt, regardless of the number of actions taken to collect that debt. However, this protection does not extend to situations where an employee's wages are garnished for multiple debts. Title III also sets limits on the percentage of an employee's disposable earnings that can be garnished in any workweek. In Iowa, state laws complement federal regulations by outlining the procedures and additional limitations on wage garnishment. For instance, Iowa law limits garnishment to a certain percentage of the debtor's disposable earnings and provides exemptions for certain types of income. It's important for both employers and employees in Iowa to understand these regulations to ensure compliance with wage garnishment orders and to protect the rights of all parties involved.