State to assume child support enforcement

Douglas County commissioners took the first step Wednesday to hand back responsibility for enforcing local child support orders to the state of Oregon.

The commissioners signed a notice notifying the state that the county plans to close its child support unit beginning July 1. Under terms of an operating agreement with the state, the county is required to provide 90 days notice to end the agreement.

Earlier, District Attorney Jack Banta signed a similar notice. The District Attorney’s Office is also a party to the agreement and needed to notify the state.

The five county employees who work for the child support unit will become state employees after the transfer. They are guaranteed work at the same salary for the first year they are employed by the state.

“The state statute is clear that the employees can go with the job,” County Attorney Paul Meyer said.

The county and state will negotiate how to handle accrued vacation time, comp time and sick leave. The county may pay the employees for some of their accrued time or the state may allow them to carry over those hours. Either way, the employees themselves will not lose any money by making the move.

The District Attorney’s Office estimated it could save $100,000 a year by having the state Department of Justice enforce the child support orders. Parents will still be able to seek help in enforcing such orders, but they may have to deal with a case worker based in a city outside Douglas County.