@Brian_Earl_Spilner wrote:I was sued by Cap1 for $1200 around 2010. Depending on your local law, they don't have to serve you in person, just to someone at your home. They may even be able to just leave it at the home as long as they can prove that you got it with a reasonable time to answer. As a judgement will remain on your credit report for 10 years, it's in your best interest to mail in your "answer" to the court in time. First step is to contact the law firm, because while being a debt collector, that's what they are. Try to negotiate a settlement or payment plan before the court date so that they withdraw the case. If an agreement can't be made, you'll have to go to court. Not mailing an answer to the court or showing up will give them an automatic win. At that point you'll still have to pay them or set up payment anyways. Failure to do so will end up in wage garnishment. Garnishment is bad for me as my employer can terminate me for one, but definitely if I get a second. I forgot to answer or show up and ended up with a garnishment. When I'm declined credit, It's almost always listed as a reason and I always kick myself for dropping the ball, though by this time, it isn't as bad as it used to be as I now am able to get credit and loans again, but there was a good 4 year stretch where I just didn't apply for anything because the judgement destroyed my credit and I couldn't get approved by anyone. And unlike a collections, there's no way to remove it.
Wait... you can be fired for a wage garnishment? That's completely ridiculous. Why would the employer care about what you do with your own **bleep** money. As long as you show up to your job and do what you're supposed to, a wage garnishment should have no bearing on your employment.
I had a garnishment from the Dept of Education earlier this year and my job didn't give one single hoot. I work for the government and no one said a word about it to me. Well, HR contacted me to let me know, but that was it.
Employees cannot be fired because their wages are garnished. Federal law protects you from being fired simply because your wages are being garnished for a single debt. However, if your wages are being garnished for two or more debts, your employer can fire you if it decides to do so.
