No Inflation Adjustments for OSHA Penalties

What’s happening: The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced May 27 it will not adjust civil monetary penalties for inflation this year. This applies to workplace safety violations issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which include serious, repeat, and willful violations.

Some background: Under a 2015 law, federal agencies are generally required to make annual inflation adjustments to preserve a penalty’s deterrent effect. DOL said last year’s 43-day, federal government shutdown delayed publication of the data needed to calculate a new rate.

What’s next: Because no adjustment will occur this year, OSHA penalty amounts will remain unchanged through 2026. Barring unforeseen circumstances, the next opportunity for adjustments will be Jan. 15, 2027.