<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<subtitle article="gcl" title_number="15" subtitle_number="3" title_name="Debt Collection -- Special Provisions" subtitle_name="Assignment of Wages">
  <section article="gcl" article_name="Commercial Law" number="15-301" title_number="15" title_name="Debt Collection -- Special Provisions" subtitle_number="3" subtitle_name="Assignment of Wages">
    <level label="a">
      <text>In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <level label="1">
        <text>“Assignment” includes every transfer, sale, pledge, mortgage, or hypothecation, however made or attempted, of the wages of a person or any interest in them.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>“Assignment” does not include an authorization by a borrower or his guarantor or surety for payroll deductions to repay a loan made by a state or federally chartered credit union to a credit union member.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="c">
      <text>“County” includes Baltimore City.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="d">
      <text>“Court” means the District Court for the county where an assignor resides.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="e">
      <text>“Person” includes an individual, corporation, business trust, statutory trust, estate, trust, partnership, association, two or more persons having a joint or common interest, or any other legal or commercial entity.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="f">
      <text>“Wages” means all remuneration paid to any employee for his employment, including the cash value of all remuneration paid in any medium other than cash.</text>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gcl" article_name="Commercial Law" number="15-302" title_number="15" title_name="Debt Collection -- Special Provisions" subtitle_number="3" subtitle_name="Assignment of Wages">
    <level label="a">
      <text>An assignment of wages is not valid unless:</text>
      <level label="1">
        <text>The assignment is:</text>
        <level label="i">
          <text>In writing;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>Signed and acknowledged by the assignor before a notary public in and for the county where he resides; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iii">
          <text>Entered the same day on the docket of the court by the clerk; and</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>Within three days from the execution and acknowledgment of the assignment, a copy of the assignment with the certificate of acknowledgment is served on the assignor’s employer in the same manner as the Maryland Rules provide for service of a summons.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <text>An assignment of wages by a married person is not valid unless also executed and acknowledged by the assignor’s spouse in the manner required by subsection (a) of this section.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="c">
      <text>An assignment of wages to be earned in whole or in part more than six months after the making of the assignment is void.</text>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gcl" article_name="Commercial Law" number="15-303" title_number="15" title_name="Debt Collection -- Special Provisions" subtitle_number="3" subtitle_name="Assignment of Wages">
    <level label="a">
      <text>Proof of the service made in accordance with § 15-302(a)(2) of this subtitle shall be by written admission of the assignor’s employer on the original assignment.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <text>Within two days from the date of service, the original assignment with the employer’s written admission shall be filed with the clerk of the court.</text>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gcl" article_name="Commercial Law" number="15-304" title_number="15" title_name="Debt Collection -- Special Provisions" subtitle_number="3" subtitle_name="Assignment of Wages">
    <text>The assignor’s acknowledgment of assignment shall include his affidavit stating that he has not paid and will not pay directly or indirectly on any sum borrowed, an effective rate of simple interest, as defined in § 12-101 of this article, of more than 6 percent per annum.</text>
  </section>
  <section article="gcl" article_name="Commercial Law" number="15-305" title_number="15" title_name="Debt Collection -- Special Provisions" subtitle_number="3" subtitle_name="Assignment of Wages">
    <level label="a">
      <text>If an assignee files or threatens to file an action to enforce any assignment of wages which does not comply with any provision of this subtitle, on petition of the assignor or his employer, a court of equity may enjoin the threatened or attempted enforcement of the assignment.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <text>The fact that a petitioner has a complete and adequate remedy at law does not constitute a defense to the maintenance of an action in equity to enjoin the threatened or attempted enforcement of the assignment.</text>
    </level>
  </section>
</subtitle>