Woman claims Fairfield financial woes affecting child support payments

FAIRFIELD, AL (WBRC) - One mother claims that delays in Fairfield's payroll are affecting her ex-partner's ability to provide child support.

"My daughter has so many things like cheerleading practice and other things that she needs for that month so its kinda like been hard," the mother said.

This mother is talking about her financial challenges as a single parent. She agreed to speak with us on the condition we not identify her.

"I can't pay the bills. I have to take that bill money I do have to manage which bill is first and what needs to be paid like food and things like that," she said.

Her daughter's father works for the city of Fairfield. She says she's struggling because the child support payments that are supposed to come every two weeks have been late.

"It's been late since last year. They'll miss a payment and then they'll pay you for the next month and then you have to catch up," she said.

She doesn't blame her ex, but she does blame the city of Fairfield.

"I know that they're cutting him because I have seen the check stubs. They are cutting it [the child support payment] out of his check but I am just not receiving it," the mother said.

Fairfield Mayor Kenneth Coachman wants to take a look at the check stubs and has promised to investigate the matter.

"We have not been late and this is the first time in seven and a half years I have heard about a problem like this," Coachman said. "The money is taken out of each person's check sent to the state and the state distributes the child support from there."

In the meantime, DHR spokesperson Barry Spear says there is a way for parents to double check child support payments.

"The woman should be able to check our automated system to see if the money was received by the child support payment center and the status of her payments," Spear said.

To check those payments, please call 1-800-284-4347.

Copyright 2016 WBRC. All rights reserved.