The Oklahoma Department of Human Services says that residents who owe back payments for child support may have their federal coronavirus stimulus and unemployment checks intercepted by the U.S. Treasury.
According to Human Services spokesperson Jeff Wagner, a 1996 federal law prohibits the state from interfering with the seizure of funds issued to those owing child support payments.
"Oklahoma Human Services doesn’t have the authority under federal or state law to circumvent or redistribute the intercepted money in any way," Wagner said.
Wagner added that federal unemployment checks issued as part of the coronavirus relief package may also be intercepted for as many as 130,000 Oklahomans behind on child support.
Wagner said Oklahomans with questions about these "federal intercepts" should visit the OKDHS website and search for "federal tax offsets."
