(A) If a child support enforcement agency discovers pursuant to an investigation conducted under section 3123.02 of the Revised Code that an obligor under a child support order that it is administering may be receiving unemployment compensation benefits or if a child support enforcement agency receives notice or otherwise discovers that an obligor under a child support order may be receiving unemployment compensation benefits, the agency promptly shall conduct an investigation to determine whether the obligor is receiving unemployment compensation benefits and to determine the amount of the benefits. The investigation shall be completed within ten days of the agency's discovery or receipt of the notice.

(B)

(1) Upon completion of an investigation conducted under division (A) of this section, if the agency finds that the obligor is receiving unemployment compensation benefits, it shall, in accordance with Chapter 3121. of the Revised Code and section 4141.284 of the Revised Code and federal law governing the department of job and family services, notify the department of job and family services to withhold or deduct an amount from the unemployment compensation benefits to pay child support obligations. Any deduction from a source in accordance with this section and section 4141.284 of the Revised Code is in addition to, and does not preclude, any withholding or deduction for purposes of child support under Chapters 3119., 3121., and 3123. of the Revised Code.

The agency may not impose the processing charge pursuant to section 3119.27 of the Revised Code with respect to amounts withheld or deducted from unemployment compensation pursuant to this section.

(2)

(a) The department of job and family services, in accordance with section 4141.284 of the Revised Code, shall deduct and withhold from unemployment compensation payable to the obligor, and pay to the appropriate child support enforcement entity, whichever of the following is applicable:

(i) Any amount required to be deducted and withheld from the unemployment compensation pursuant to legal process, as that term is defined in Title IV-D of the "Social Security Act," 88 Stat. 2351 (1975), 42 U.S.C. 651 et seq., as amended, and properly served on the director of job and family services, as described in section 4141.282 of the Revised Code;

(ii) When division (B)(2)(a)(i) of this section is inapplicable, an amount determined pursuant to an agreement submitted to the director under Title IV-D of the "Social Security Act," 88 Stat. 2351, 42 U.S.C. 651 et seq., as amended, by the state or local child support enforcement agency;

(iii) If neither division (B)(2)(a)(i) nor (ii) of this section is applicable, then the amount specified by the individual.

(b) The amount of unemployment compensation subject to being withheld pursuant to division (B)(2)(a) of this section is that amount that remains payable to the individual after application of any recoupment provisions for recovery of overpayments and after deductions that have been made under Chapter 4141. of the Revised Code for deductible income received by the individual. Effective for applications to establish unemployment compensation benefit rights filed after December 27, 1997, the amount withheld with respect to a week of unemployment benefits shall not exceed fifty per cent of the individual's weekly benefit amount as determined by the director.

(c) Any deduction and withholding pursuant to division (B) of this section from unemployment compensation payable to an obligor is subject to, and shall be in accordance with, section 4141.284 of the Revised Code.

(C) The director shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code to implement this section, which rules shall be consistent with section 4141.284 of the Revised Code and federal law governing the department.

Effective Date: 10-31-2001 .