LABOR DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES INCREASED PENALTIES FOR VIOLATING LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT LAWS

On June 30, 2016, the Department of Labor announced that it is increasing the monetary penalties for more than 60 kinds of violations of labor and employment laws.  These changes are part of the Inflation Adjustment Act, which was part of the budget resolution that Congress passed in November 2015.  This law directs federal agencies to adjust their civil monetary penalties for inflation every year going forward.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, for example, will have maximum fines arising nearly 80% to $12,500 for serious violations and $124,700.00 for willful or repeated violations.  The new penalties will apply to those assessed after August 1, 2016.

In the immigration law area, the penalty for a first offense of employing unauthorized workers is going from the range of $375.00 to $3,200.00 per violation to a range of $539.00 to $4,313.00 per violation.  Paperwork violations such as failure to properly complete the I-9 Form are going from a range of $110.00 to $1,100.00 per violation to a range or $216.00 to $2,156.00 per violation.  Fines for violating the anti-discrimination provisions are also increasing as document abuse goes from $110.00 to $1,100.00 per violation to a range of $178.00 to $1,782.00 per violation.