When an employer fails to obey a garnishment order, the payee (the person receiving child support) can potentially seek to have the employer held in contempt and forced to pay the money that should have been withheld. But I am not aware of any state that would allow a lawsuit by the employees. The employee should be paying attention to his wages and the deductions from his wages, and if deductions aren't made the money ends up in the employee's pocket such that there's not a financial loss to the employee. Also, the MDOR should have provided a notice to the employee of the default before it took further action against the employee's assets, giving the employee a chance to correct the problem. The employee can discuss his options with a local lawyer.