Employers to Face Increased OSHA Penalties For 2025: How You Should Develop Your Workplace Safety Strategy for the New Year

Employers will face higher penalties for workplace safety violations in 2025 now that the U.S. Department of Labor has just published its listing of annual increases. These yearly increases to OSHA’s maximum civil penalties will apply to all workplace safety citations issued by the agency beginning January 16 – including for employers who currently have an open inspection with the agency. Here are the key changes you need to know about and steps you can take to ensure you provide a safe workplace for your employees.

Summary of Penalties

Again, these penalties will apply to all citations issued by OSHA beginning January 16, including for employers who currently have an open inspection with OSHA.

You can count on OSHA to continue increasing civil penalties in January each year. In 2015, Congress passed the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act to adjust monetary penalties assessed by OSHA and other agencies. The aim of this law was to adjust these penalties for inflation and to continue to deter violations of federal laws intended to protect workers.

What Should You Do?

Make sure you understand how to interact with OSHA before accepting any citations without contest or paying these penalties. You can start by reviewing our Frequently Asked Questions for Employers About OSHA and coordinating with your FP counsel.

If you do business in a state where a state agency rather than Federal OSHA enforces the Occupational Safety and Health Act (such as Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, California, or any of the 22 State Plans covering both private sector and state and local government workers, or the seven state plans covering only state and local government workers), recognize that civil penalty amounts may differ. In North Carolina, for example, employers may be surprised to learn that the maximum penalties more than doubled several years ago — and these penalties also increase every January to match the maximum penalties available to Federal OSHA discussed above.

Conclusion

You should understand the full impact of accepting OSHA citations without contesting them. Before paying any fine assessed by OSHA or a state agency, contact the author of this Insight, any member of the Workplace Safety Practice Group, or your Fisher Phillips attorney for guidance. Make sure you are subscribed to Fisher Phillips’ Insight System to get the most up-to-date information on OSHA issues.