On Jan. 15, pursuant to the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act, the U.S. Department of Labor published a final rule to adjust for inflation the civil monetary penalties assessed or enforced by the department, including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, for 2020. This final rule went into effect on Jan. 15, 2020. As provided by the Inflation Adjustment Act, the increased penalty levels apply to any penalties assessed after the effective date of this rule.
States that operate their own Occupational Safety and Health Plans are required to adopt maximum penalty levels that are at least as effective as federal OSHA's.
Below are the maximum penalty amounts adjusted for inflation as of Jan. 15, 2020, according to OSHA’s website.
|
Type of Violation |
Penalty |
|
Serious |
$13,494 per violation |
|
Failure to Abate |
$13,494 per day beyond the abatement date |
|
Willful or Repeated |
$134,397 per violation |
For more information, visit OSHA's website.