The role of a Child Support Investigator is to locate absent parents; establish paternity of non-marital children; collect birth expenses owed to the State of Wisconsin; establish, modify and enforce child support and medical support orders and collect child support arrears; to ensure that children and parents receive the financial and medical support to which they are legally entitled.

This posting will remain open until adequate applications are received. Based on 2022 salary grade.

• Locate absent parents and employment information by performing confidential investigations utilizing automated, internet, and manual resources available to assist in establishing and enforcing child support and medical support orders.
• Interview clients to complete a paternity statement, obtain information, clarify discrepancies and complete necessary forms.
• Collect DNA samples in paternity cases. Obtain birth costs.
• Examine records relating to financial and legal status of involved parties, legal orders for support, custody and placement, real estate ownership, mortgages, tax returns, and other related materials.
• Obtain, review and interpret financial information to determine appropriate child support obligations pursuant to Wisconsin State statutes and child support guidelines.
• Determine availability of medical insurance.
• Monitor and enforce child support orders and payment records to ensure compliance with child support guidelines.
• Make recommendations for legal actions, and assists in the preparation of the case for court.
• Compose and prepare a variety of legal documents including affidavits, summons and petitions, motions, orders to show cause and stipulations and orders.
• Appear and testify in court hearings for child support and paternity cases.
• Enforce orders through the use of administrative actions.
• Identify potential fraud documents, financial records and correspondence related to cases.
• Work with Child Support Agencies in other states and countries in inter-governmental cases.
• Serve as liaison with social services and legal authorities in matters related to cases.
• Provide customer service to clients, attorneys, employers, law enforcement, and other state agencies and the judiciary.
• May train, assign or monitor the work of others.
• Perform other duties as required.

High-school graduate; Associate's or Bachelor's degree preferred, with emphasis on paralegal, criminal justice, public or business administration, communications, or other related human services field. Experience as a child support worker or collections officer, experience in work related to the child support field, experience as an eligibility worker in a human services agency, experience with the legal system and experience in collection work outside the public sector may be considered in lieu of educational requirements.

Working conditions:

This job operates in a professional office environment and routinely uses standard office equipment, such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.

Physical requirements:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

Requires the ability to operate a variety of office equipment such as computer systems, telephone, fax machine, calculator, department audio/visual equipment, and photocopier. Requires the ability to coordinate eyes, hands, feet and limbs in performing movements requiring moderate skill, such as keyboarding. Tasks involve the ability to exert light physical effort in sedentary to light work, but which may involve some lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling of objects weighing five to ten pounds. Tasks may involve extended periods of time at a keyboard or workstation.

Testing Requirements:

Testing may be administered to assess skills and abilities necessary to perform the essential duties of this position. Structured interview, references and/or background investigation.