(a) Commerce entities are authorized to collect Commerce debts from an individual debtor's wages by means of administrative wage garnishment in accordance with the requirements of 31 U.S.C. 3720D and 31 CFR 285.11. This part adopts and incorporates all of the provisions of 31 CFR 285.11 concerning administrative wage garnishment, including the hearing procedures described in 31 CFR 285.11(f). Commerce entities may use administrative wage garnishment to collect a delinquent Commerce debt unless the debtor is making timely payments under an agreement to pay the Commerce debt in installments (see § 19.6 of this part). At least thirty (30) days prior to initiating an administrative wage garnishment, Commerce entities will send notice to the debtor in accordance with the requirements of § 19.4 of this part, including the requirements of § 19.4(a)(10) of this part. For Commerce debts referred to the Bureau of the Fiscal Service under § 19.9 of this part, Commerce entities may authorize the Bureau of the Fiscal Service to send a notice informing the debtor that administrative wage garnishment will be initiated and how the debtor may request a hearing as described in § 19.4(a)(10) of this part. If a debtor makes a timely request for a hearing, administrative wage garnishment will not begin until a hearing is held and a decision is sent to the debtor. See 31 CFR 285.11(f)(4). Even if a debtor's hearing request is not timely, Commerce entities may suspend collection by administrative wage garnishment in accordance with the provisions of 31 CFR 285.11(f)(5). All travel expenses incurred by the debtor in connection with an in-person hearing will be borne by the debtor.

(b) This section does not apply to Federal salary offset, the process by which Commerce entities collect Commerce debts from the salaries of Federal employees (see § 19.12 of this part).