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WG-003Mandatory

Employee Instructions

California · Judicial Council of California · Effective January 1, 2026

This form provides instructions to an employee whose wages are being taken out by a court order. It explains what wage garnishment is, how much pay might be taken, and what steps the employee can take to protect their earnings.

The court describes it as: Instructions to an employee whose wages are being garnished.

Open the official PDFfrom Judicial Council of California

Where this fits in a case

General & info

Information / general use — not tied to one step of a case

This form is given to an employee when a court order requires that part of their wages be paid to a creditor.

Either party may file.

Official instructions

How-to guides published by the court for this form.

Common questions

What is wage garnishment according to this form?
Wage garnishment means the court order requires your employer to pay a part of your wages to a collecting officer. That officer then pays the money to a creditor who has a court judgment against you.
Can I be fired because of this wage garnishment?
No, you cannot be fired unless your wages were already withheld before for a different court judgment. If this is the first time, the California Labor Commissioner may be able to help you get your job back.
How do I ask for an exemption?
To ask for an exemption, you need to get three copies each of the Claim of Exemption (form WG-006) and Financial Statement (form WG-007) from the levying officer or the court website.

Revision history

No changes recorded since we started tracking this form on October 9, 2026. The current version took effect January 1, 2026.

Related forms

  • WG-006

    Claim of Exemption

    This form is used to ask a levying officer to lower or stop taking money from wages because the person filing believes the garnishment prevents them from affording basic necessities. The form must be given to the levying officer, not filed with the court.

    OptionalFillable PDF
  • WG-007

    Financial Statement

    This form is a Financial Statement used in wage garnishment cases to provide details about a person's finances. It asks for information about monthly income, property owned, monthly expenses, and debts owed.

    OptionalFillable PDF
  • WG-009

    Notice of Opposition to Claim of Exemption

    This form is used to tell the court, the person collecting the money, and the other side that you disagree with the other side's claim about what money should be kept exempt. It asks you to state why you oppose the exemption claim.

    OptionalFillable PDF
  • WG-010

    Notice of Hearing on Claim of Exemption (Wage Garnishment—Enforcement of Judgment)

    This form is a notice that tells the judgment debtor about a court hearing. The hearing's purpose is to decide if the debtor's claim of exemption will be allowed.

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