I would like to tell you my story regarding the Child Support Office here in Florida. I lost my job in July of 2010 and I applied for unemployment online. After several weeks of waiting I was finally approved to receive $275.00 per week. A week are so later I received a letter from child support stating that they will be taking out 40% of my unemployment check for child support. If you calculate $275.00 x 4 it comes to $1, 100.00 per month. If you take 40% from 1, 100 that equals $440.00 per month. The court order states that I pay only $300.00 per month (based on me working a full time job).

I called the child support office regarding the error and they said that I would have to come to their office over on Rosalind Ave to fill out the paper work so they can make the correction. Well, I went that same day and spoke to a lady who said I need to fill out the forms and she will get this issue cleared right away. She said to give it a few weeks to get corrected! Well once I received my check the amount was still wrong so I decided to call the child support office yet again so I could correct this issue. The agent said to give them 30 days from the day I filled out the paper work. She said I filled out the forms on 8/7/2010 and to wait until 9/7/2010 to call back. Well after waiting the period she told me, no corrections were made on my check. So I called again and the agent that picked up the phone said that they do not have to change my amount if they do not want to since I have arrears (The arrears by the way are from an initial mix-up with the agency, but I have been paying it anyway). This was not told to me in the beginning. Furthermore, the back amount is being caught up. My original amount was $250.00 per month, but they raised it to $300.00 per month so that I can get caught up. As you can see the amount of $300 already includes a payment plan for the arrears. I remind you with them keeping my tax return and the extra $50.00 per week I am only $1, 000.00 or so behind. Also if I have not been paying in the past I would be in jail, and my license suspended.

I have a house and bills that have to be paid each and every month, but the agency does not work on ethical standards. They act like they are the judge and jury. Meanwhile, I have to live on a grand total of $600.00 per month and my fiancee has to struggle to keep a roof over our heads. I am possibly one of the few fathers who does not run from the agency. I've been in sales for a very long time. That being said, I have had quite a few jobs over the last few years. Some of my sales jobs have even been commission only. Even with all of that I've always made it a point to contact the Child Support Agency and provide them with up to date information. Even when I wasn't working and not collecting unemployment my fiancee would do everything she could to help me make my chld support payment. I don't understand why they treat the responsible father's horribly. Why do they make our lives so much harder? Oh, and dare you try to call...they will keep you on hold for a minimum of 30 minutes! You can only call them during the week. It is very difficult for someone working regular business hours to call during the time alloted. To make matters worse 9 times out of 10 you will encounter someone who has a nasty attitude and makes you feel like a low life criminal. They have been given power with no checks and balances. They are government workers with no sense of urgency. They do wrong and they know that they will not pay for their actions. They do what they want and hurt who they will. We just have to sit back and let it happen. It's just not right!

Please help. I'm lost. I have no answers and I do not know where else to turn?