How do I determine exempt wages for garnishments?

For garnishment purposes, exempt wages are equivalent to the amount earned in a week by an employee who is paid minimum wage. They're "exempt" because they are the portion of an employee's disposable income that is excluded from garnishments so that no matter how much an employee's garnishments are, they can still take home at least minimum wage.

The exempt wages set by each state are usually provided as weekly amounts, which is convenient for employees who are paid each week. Here's how to calculate the exempt wages for employees paid by other schedules:

• For employees paid monthly, multiply the weekly exempt wage amount by 52 (weeks in a year), then divide by 12.
• For employees paid biweekly, multiply the weekly exempt wage amount by 52 (weeks in a year), then divide by 26. 
• For those paid semi-monthly, multiply the weekly exempt wage amount by 52 (weeks in a year), then divide by 24.