
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 46USC11109]

 
                           TITLE 46--SHIPPING
 
                     Subtitle II--Vessels and Seamen
 
              Part G--Merchant Seamen Protection and Relief
 
                   CHAPTER 111--PROTECTION AND RELIEF
 
Sec. 11109. Attachment of wages

    (a) Wages due or accruing to a master or seaman are not subject to 
attachment or arrestment from any court, except for an order of a court 
about the payment by a master or seaman of any part of the master's or 
seaman's wages for the support and maintenance of the spouse or minor 
children of the master or seaman, or both. A payment of wages to a 
master or seaman is valid, notwithstanding any prior sale or assignment 
of wages or any attachment, encumbrance, or arrestment of the wages.
    (b) An assignment or sale of wages or salvage made before the 
payment of wages does not bind the party making it, except allotments 
authorized by section 10315 of this title.
    (c) This section applies to an individual employed on a fishing 
vessel or any fish processing vessel.

(Pub. L. 98-89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 580; Pub. L. 98-364, title IV, 
Sec. 402(15), July 17, 1984, 98 Stat. 450.)

                      Historical and Revision Notes
------------------------------------------------------------------------
          Revised section                Source section (U.S. Code)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
11109.............................  46:601
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Section 11109 limits the attachment of a seaman's wages and 
establishes certain rules for the assignment of a seaman's wages. It 
also applies to fishermen on fishing vessels.


                               Amendments

    1984--Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 98-364 substituted ``an individual 
employed on a fishing vessel or any fish processing vessel'' for ``a 
fisherman on a fishing vessel''.
