With everyone trying to predict what the Occupational Safety and Health Administration will do under the Biden Administration, there is one certainty that we can let you know about. As now happens automatically every January as a result of the 2015 Inflation Adjustment Act, the U.S. Department of Labor has adjusted the penalty amounts for violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, among other statutes, by the amount of inflation in 2020.
The Department of Labor announced today the following changes to the OSHA penalty levels:
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Serious Violations
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Increased from $13,494 to $13,653
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Other Than Serious Variations
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Increased from $13,494 to $13,653
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Repeat Violations
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Increased from $134,937 to $136,532
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Willful Violations
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Maximum penalties increased from $134,937 to $136,532
Minimum penalties increased from $9,639 to $9,753
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Those of you who have received OSHA citations in the last three years know that OSHA now routinely issues Serious Citations with the maximum penalty amount. These increased penalty amounts should give you all the incentive that you need to be in compliance.
REMINDER: Employers must post their OSHA 300A forms February 1 through April 30. Electronic filing of OSHA 300A information (if required) must be completed by March 2.
