U.S. Labor Department Hikes OSHA, MSHA Penalty Amounts
Inflation catches up with everyone. In the case of employers that violate occupational safety and health laws and mine safety laws, inflation could be as much as 78 percent.
In 2015, Congress passed the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act to advance the effectiveness of civil monetary penalties and to maintain their deterrent effect. The new law directs federal agencies to adjust their penalties for inflation each year, and requires agencies to publish “catch up” rules this summer to make up for lost time since the last adjustments.
