This page has been established to provide helpful up-to-date information concerning the child support program to employers. Please take advantage of this information and notify us if you have additional questions that are not addressed on this site.

Introduction:
Employers play a vital role in ensuring the financial and medical security of children by cooperating with the Ventura County Department of Child Support Services. Annually, our department collects over $53 million on behalf of children and families in Ventura County. Approximately 65% of these funds came from employers through income withholding. Thank you for your continued efforts!

Employers have 4 principal responsibilities:

• You must report all newly hired employees to your state Directory of New Hires.
• When you receive a valid Order/Notice to withhold income for child support for an employee, you must follow the terms and deduct the specified amount from each paycheck and remit to our office within 7 days.
• Comply with the National Medical Support Notice and sign the children up for health insurance, if it is available.
• You must provide the local child support agency with information about an employee, such as details regarding his/her earnings, current residence, health insurance, coverage, and report the termination of an employee whether the employee is fired, resigns, or is laid off.

Employer benefits:
When your company complies with child support laws, you are helping your business and the community in many ways.

• You help kids!
• You reduce fraud and error.
• You save taxpayers' money.
• You contribute to a stable workforce.

How to contact the Employer Desk:
The employer number is a direct line for employer use only. Other parties should call our main telephone number: 1-866-901-3212.

• Fax: (805) 654-5545

Useful Website Resources:

• What every employer needs to know about child support - an interactive flash movie produced by the Small Business Administration and the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement. http://www.sba.gov/classroom/css/css2.html
• State of California Employment Development Department new hire reporting website - http://www.edd.cahwnet.gov/txnertx.htm
• Listing of California county child support office websites: http://www.childup.cahwnet.gov/county_locations.htm
• For links to state websites, information on new hire reporting, quarterly wage and unemployment insurance, and basic child support program information geared to employers: http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/cse/newhire/employ/employ.htm

Child Support Payments:
As of September 1, 2006, your support payments made through your employer (i.e., a wage withholding) will be sent by your employer to the State instead of your local child support agency. If you are currently making payments directly to the local child support agency, beginning September 1, 2006, please send your support payment to the following address:

State Disbursement Unit
P.O. Box 989067
West Sacramento, CA 95798

THIS ADDRESS IS FOR PAYMENTS ONLY.

Wage and Health Assignment Frequently Asked Questions:
Our office has developed an employer handbook to assist you with a wide array of questions and answers concerning wage and health assignment processing. The handbook is in PDF format, allowing you to print any pages that you think will be helpful as reference tool. See below.

Click here to read or print out a copy of the new Employer Handbook.