Can you be fired for having debt or a wage garnishment?

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Can you be fired for having debt or a wage garnishment?

Can you be fired for having debt or a wage garnishment?

A photo looking up at an office building.

No. Federal law protects your job. A debt collector is not allowed to tell anyone — including your employer — about your debt, and you cannot be fired because your wages are garnished for one debt.

What if collectors call me at work?

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act stops a debt collector from telling your employer about your debt. If collectors are calling you at work, you can tell them: 

Please stop calling me at work. I cannot take personal calls at work. Please remove this number from your records.

Can I be fired for a wage garnishment?

The Consumer Credit Protection Act protects you from being fired for having your wages garnished for one debt — even if the collector files the paperwork multiple times for that debt.

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Last revised by staff
June 16, 2026