It is a wonderful facility where my Native children have recieved wonderful service. It is family oriented and native-centric.
It is also about the only place that my Native ex husband with his struggles with substances could be steadily employed.
It sounds like a win, win situation.
Untill..
He is employed there in his field, as a maintenance/light construction worker. My office where I work is situated where I can see when and if he is working. His truck is loaded up with tools, occassionally I will see him doing his jobs. Putting in a light fixture, hauling in materials, bringing tools in and out. We have even discussed some of the projects that he has worked on-a bathroom remodel among them. He has NO formal education, degree, or even a contractor's licence-which I always thought was strange why none of these were required for him to work there.
Still sounds great?
Well in my battle to obtain the support owed to my children I have been volleying back and forth between the California Department of Child Support Services and his employer.
It was back in early January that I spoke with the Director of the SNAHC and explained my plight...that I was not recieving any support payments and was seeking a way to have his wages garnished. She explained that she was not sure if I could pursue a wage garnishment, because Mr. Wonderful is employed as an independant contrator, and is paid per job, as he cannot be a permanent employee, newly sober as he is.
Bubble popped.
I then reported this information to the Ca. Child Support Services. They explained that no matter how he is paid, or when he is paid his employer is obligated to attach the wages to comply with his order to pay child support. They further informed me that the SNAHC would have up to 45 days to comply.
Feeling better...
The 45 days was up on February 21st. Last week (Feb. 25th) I made a phone call back to the SNAHC and spoke again to the director, who told me I needed to speak to their human resources department. I was transferred to "Andrea".
Andrea was a cold, unsympathetic ear who told me only that Mr. Wonderful is paid as an "Independent Consultant". HA HA HA HA! What does he consult them ON I wonder??? I explained that his weekly earnings are more than what his children and I are surviving on monthly and that he was soon to have his driver's license suspended due to non-payment. I informed her that he is nearly nine thousand dollars behind. She replied simply that it was none of her business, and that she does not and will not have to comply with the order and that she does not even need to take my call.
Kick in the teeth.
So, now I am not sure where this will all end. I called again the same day to Child Support Services. Again they have reassured me that he cannot and will not evade his wage garnishment. It does not matter how he is paid. They said they will have to send another letter out to his employer and that I will need to follow up with another phone call in ten days to find out what the status is.
In the meantime, I find it interesting and very sad the Sacramento Native American Health Center, by virtue of protecting the Native man in their employ is taking away from the innocent Native offspring that he has chosen to neglect. Aside from the obvious liability they have assumed employing a non licensed, bonded or insured indivdual to do their maintenance and construction... where in the world did this all go wrong and why would anyone protect a fully able bodied young single man over two sweet, innocent kids?
I WILL persue this, SNAHC. For the sake of my children. 
