Article 20 of Decree-Law No. 15 of 1979 concerning the Civil Service

No deduction or attachment may be made against amounts payable by the Government to an employee in any capacity whatsoever, except in satisfaction of court-ordered maintenance, to discharge amounts owed to the Government by the employee for a reason relating to the performance of his duties, or to recover amounts paid to him without entitlement. The amount deducted from the employee's entitlement in these two cases may not exceed half thereof, (1) Added pursuant to Decree-Law No. 2 of 1989 Law Index 814 Home Page Civil Service Decree Decree-Law No. 15 of 1979 concerning the Civil Service and the maintenance debt shall have priority in the event of competing claims.