Garnishment Specialist

Fifth Third Bank • Farmington Hills, MI

6d

About The Position

Under minimal supervision, the Garnishment Specialist answers complex legal orders served on the bank, its affiliates, and subsidiaries. The role provides timely, courteous customer service to all parties involved and represents the bank to courts, attorneys, enforcement agencies, and the legal community. It ensures compliance with state and federal laws and timely processing of legal orders while mitigating processing errors that could expose the Bancorp to financial loss or reputational harm.

The position requires responsible risk management, adherence to bank policies and procedures, and actions that support positive experiences for customers and colleagues. The specialist reviews and processes garnishment documents, researches accounts and protected benefits, coordinates with relevant lines of business, and communicates account actions to customers and external parties. The role is based in Farmington Hills, Michigan.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Four years of related experience.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Ability to function in a fast-paced environment.
• Commitment to teamwork.
• Ability to balance multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
• Strong analytical and logical reasoning skills for problem solving.
• Ability to independently research, recognize, and solve problems.
• Strong customer service orientation and ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Basic PC skills and knowledge of Excel, Word, and Access.
• Ability to work under sensitive time constraints.
• Self-motivation and initiative.
• Demonstrated ownership and follow-through of issues.
• Proficiency in data entry.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in Legal, Operations, or Retail banking.
• Paralegal Certificate or two years of Legal Processing experience.
• Knowledge of ACE, Agile, Vector4, RAFT, Mobius, and Document Direct.

Responsibilities

• Interpret garnishment language to determine its scope, jurisdiction, applicability, and timeframe.
• Ensure garnishment orders are properly served to mitigate potential monetary loss to the bank.
• Review complex legal documents valued at $50,000 and/or over $1 million, ensure required orders are handled appropriately, and accurately record them in the database.
• Work with Retail, Commercial, and Brokerage Operations to review depository account setups.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, maintain quality standards, and decrease turnaround time.
• Adhere to state processing timelines and maintain accuracy to mitigate risk, liability, exposure, and monetary loss.
• Identify, research, and analyze process problems; develop solutions and resolve issues.
• Research depository accounts for federally protected benefits and file answers conveying the findings.
• Identify accounts where the bank may hold a priority security interest or right to offset funds, and coordinate with the appropriate line of business to determine funds applicable to obligations owed to the bank.
• Maintain strict confidentiality of information.
• Initiate and remove account holds and prepare bank checks for mailing to courts, law offices, child support enforcement agencies, and the IRS.
• Promptly notify customers of account actions by mailing copies of orders and customer notification letters, and fax notification letters to branches in a timely manner.
• Ensure collection of appropriate processing fees from garnishees and periodically review outstanding debts.
• Manage risk by following policies and procedures, elevating concerns, and identifying, assessing, monitoring, and reporting risks.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits designed to support employees' and families' physical, financial, emotional, and social well-being.
• Differentiated compensation offerings.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: High school or GED