OSHA Announces Inflation-Adjusted Civil Penalty Increases for 2024
The annual adjustments went into effect on January 16, 2024.
- By Robert Yaniz Jr.
- Jan 18, 2024
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has adjusted civil penalty amounts for OSHA violations, effective Jan. 16, 2024, to align with the latest federal cost-of-living adjustments.
According to an OSHA release, Congress passed the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act to strengthen the impact of civil monetary penalties, ensuring they continue to deter violations from taking place. Under the act, agencies must implement initial "catch-up" adjustments to civil monetary penalties annually due to inflation on January 15 of each year. In 2024, this was pushed to the following day due to Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
With the 2024 update, maximum penalties for serious and other-than-serious violations have increased from $15,625 to $16,131 per violation. More severe willful or repeated violations now carry a maximum penalty of $161,323, up from the previous $156,259. The new penalty amounts reflect the DOL’s ongoing commitment to uphold safety and health standards in the workplace.
For more detailed information about the new OSHA penalty amounts and to view the final rule, interested parties can visit the OSHA Penalties page on the Department of Labor's website.
About the Author
Robert Yaniz Jr. is the Content Editor of Occupational Health & Safety.