§ 95-256.  Penalties.

(a) The Commissioner may levy a civil penalty, not to exceed the amounts listed as follows, for a violation of this Article:

Employers with 10 or less employees $ 2,000

Employers with 11-50 employees $ 5,000

Employers with 51-100 employees $10,000

Employers with more than 100 employees $25,000.

(b) The Commissioner, in determining the amount of the penalty, shall consider the nature of the violation, whether it is a first or subsequent violation, and the steps taken by the employer to remedy the violation upon discovery of the violation.

(c) An employer may appeal a penalty levied by the Commissioner pursuant to this section to the North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission subject to the procedures and requirements applicable to contested penalties under Article 16 of this Chapter. The determination of the Commission shall be final unless further appeal is made to the courts under the provisions of Chapter 150B of the General Statutes.

(d) All civil penalties and interest recovered by the Commissioner, together with any costs, shall be paid into the General Fund of the State. (1991 (Reg. Sess., 1992), c. 962, s. 1; 2005-133, s. 1; 2006-226, s. 30.)