Due to reduced funding, the Employer Services Center (ESC) has been downsized to seven front-line staff members. As a result, many responsibilities that ESC assumed over the years can no longer be maintained and will transition back to the district offices or other specialized teams. ESC is returning to its original mission established in 2008—processing employer-related forms and updating Child Support cases based on the information received.
As these changes take effect, ESC is no longer able to perform the following functions:
- Answer employer phone calls (these calls have been transferred to CARE).
- Complete employer compliance or payment requests (these will be handled by the district offices).
- Contact employers to obtain address or employment information (district offices will now complete this process of calling employers and offices or send an L05 when appropriate).
- Process lump-sum requests (this function has been transferred to CCP).
- Add employers to cases unless the employer information is provided on forms received for processing (new employer additions have been transferred to CCP).
- Complete CLEAR reports (process for this is pending).
- Work information lists such as IANE and PEMPL (these will be completed by the district offices).
Although ESC’s responsibilities have changed, it continues to play a critical role in supporting Child Support Services. ESC processes more than 1,000 employer-related work items each week and updates all affected cases. Their work ensures that employer information is processed accurately and efficiently, allowing cases to move forward. ESC staff remain available to answer questions and provide guidance as everyone adjusts to these changes.
Functions
The Oklahoma Employer Services Center (ESC) provides a variety of services including direct employer contact regarding medical support, income withholding orders, new hire reporting and general child support program assistance.
- Medical Support Functions
The ESC’s medical support functions include: processing all medical forms relating to non-custodial parents (NCPs) or custodial persons (CPs) who have been ordered to provide medical support for their child(ren); processing all employer related forms to confirm the availability of employer insurance for children, responding to health insurance plan administrators to assist in the enrollment of children on insurance plans; ensure medical benefits cards are provided and documented in OSIS (Oklahoma State Information System), plus updating OSIS with information on the status and type of coverage for each child. OSIS is an application used by CSS to create, log and track child support cases. - ESC processes certain employer and medical-related forms (IWO, MED5, M05, M01, M04, L05, Medical Cards). If these forms are received at your office in error, they can be emailed to ESCMgmt@okdhs.org or OCSS.Contact.ESC@okdhs.org.
- Maintaining Employer Data Base in OSIS
The ESC gathers and documents Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN), address and contact information from employers. The employer information is maintained in OSIS.
Adding Employers to Cases
Center of Coordinated Programs (CCP) now researches employers using any piece of information provided (name, address, FEIN), then updates the case with the information. The more information CCP is given, the more accurately and quickly CCP can attempt to locate the employer. These requests can be emailed to EmployerAddressRequest@okdhs.org.
ESC Documents Key
The following table is a list of all the types of documents which the Oklahoma Employer Services Center processes. The abbreviation and purpose of each document are also identified in the table.
| Document ID | Document Name | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Checks | These are payments sent to the ESC by either employers or local child support offices requiring routing to the State Disbursement Unit. | |
| Custom Correspondence | These are documents received which are not in any other category. | |
| IWO (NOIA) | Income Withholding Order | The Income Withholding Order informs the employer of the child support order, the amount to withhold and provides instructions on how to remit payments. There is a response section in the IWO to inform CSS when a payment cannot be withheld or the CCPA limits have been reached. There are also instances when the IWO is returned due to address issues and termination notices. |
| L05 | Employer Letter | This letter is a questionnaire sent to an employer to verify whether the non-custodial parent is employed, to verify the identifying information for the individual, determine their wages/salary and inquire about the availability of medical insurance. |
| M01 | NCP Medical Insurance Survey | This letter is a questionnaire sent to the non-custodial parent to inquire about the availability of medical insurance for the child(ren) on the case. |
| M03 | Notification of Insurance Availability | This letter is sent to the custodial person informing him/her CSS has received information indicating the child(ren) have been enrolled in medical insurance. |
| M03T | Notification of Insurance Termination | This letter is sent to the custodial person informing him/her CSS has received information indicating the child(ren)’s insurance enrollment has terminated. |
| M04 | CP Medical Insurance Survey | This letter is a questionnaire sent to the custodial person to inquire about the availability of medical insurance for the child(ren) on the case. |
| M05 | Employer Medical Insurance Survey | This letter is a questionnaire sent to the non-custodial parent’s employer to inquire about the availability of medical insurance for the child(ren) on the case. |
| M06 | Request for CDIB Card | This letter can be sent to the custodial or non-custodial parent to inquire about the availability of Indian Health Services for the child(ren) on the case. |
| MED5/MED5A | National Medical Support Notice | This notice informs the employer and/or plan administrator of the existence of a child support order to cover the child(ren) on medical insurance. It also instructs the employer and/or plan administrator to enroll the child(ren) if enrollment has not previously occurred. |
| MED6 | Employer Medical Compliance Notice | This notice reiterates the employer’s responsibilities concerning enrollment of the child(ren) in medical insurance when the National Medical Support Notice has been issued. |
| MED8 | Notice of Medical Eligibility Status Change | This notice advises the employer that insurance coverage of the child(ren) is no longer required. The notice advises the employer they need to consult with their employee to determine if the ordered party chooses to continue the medical coverage on the child(ren). |
| Medical Cards | Employers, plan administrators and non-custodial parents send benefit cards to the ESC to forward to the custodial person. | |
| Misrouted Mail | Correspondence which should have been sent to a different location. | |
| SDU | Correspondence received from the State Disbursement Unit. Some correspondence received with payments has relevant information concerning employment verification or employer information. | |
| Unidentifiable | Correspondence which cannot be identified as to the source, its appropriate destination or its relevance to the ESC. |
Employer Services Center Contact Information:
- OCSS.ESCMgmt@okdhs.org or OCSS.Contact.ESC@okdhs.org
- General mailbox for offices to send any questions regarding cases or ESC activity. Also, for offices to send copies of scanned forms or request help on a case. This is where CDIB cards are sent or proof of coverage.
- OCSS.Contact.ESC@okdhs.org
- Mailbox to allow email contact from external customers (employers, NCPs, CPs). Forms can be attached and submitted via email to this address from external clients. Also, any questions from external clients can be submitted here as well.
- OKLAeIWO@okdhs.org
- Employers use this email to report e-IWO changes and to ask ESC questions regarding the e-IWO process.
- CSS.ESC.AddingEmployerstoCases@okdhs.org
- Mailbox only for CARE representatives to send new employer information to. Only CARE reps should send info to this email address. CCP now works this mailbox.
- OCSS.EmployerSC@okdhs.org
- This is the internal mailbox for ESC use only. This email address should not be used by CSS office staff.
- EmployerAddressRequest@okdhs.org
- For District offices. CCP will research employers using any piece of information given (name, address, FEIN) and update the case with the information. The more information we are given, the more accurately and quickly we can attempt to locate the employer.