§ 15.24 Policy.

(a) It is the policy of the Department of Commerce to require Commissioned Officers of the NOAA Corps on active duty to make involuntary allotments from pay and allowances as payment of child, or child and spousal, support payments when the officer has failed to make periodic payments under a support order in a total amount equal to the support payable for two months or longer. Failure to make such payments shall be established by notice from an authorized person to the designated official. Such notice shall specify the name and address of the person to whom the allotment is payable. The amount of the allotment shall be the amount necessary to comply with the support order. If requested, the allotment may include arrearages as well as amounts for current support, except that the amount of the allotment, together with any other amounts withheld for support from the officer as a percentage of pay, shall not exceed the limits prescribed in section 303 (b) and (c) of the Consumer Credit Protection Act (15 U.S.C. 1673). An allotment under this subpart shall be adjusted or discontinued upon notice from an authorized person. (b) Notwithstanding the above, no action shall be taken to require an allotment from the pay and allowances of any officer until such officer has had a consultation with an attorney from the Office of the Assistant General Counsel for Administration, in person, to discuss the legal and other factors involved with respect to the officer's support obligation and his/her failure to make payments. Where it has not been possible, despite continuing good faith efforts to arrange such a consultation, the allotment shall start the first pay period beginning after 30 days have elapsed since the notice required in paragraph (d)(1) of § 15.25 is given to the affected officer.