Employers constantly have new regulations and responsibilities placed on them. Hiring a safe and effective workforce is one of those responsibilities. Making sure your company and employees remain compliant can cause major headaches since regulations are always changing.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has increased fines for trucking regulation violations. DOT issued a final rule earlier this year that allows the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to assess civil penalties for employers, employees, or medical review officers who violate the Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse.
Violations related to commercial driver’s licenses could be subject to a fine of $5,833, which is more than double the amount of $2,500 that the same Clearinghouse violation would have cost you in previous years. The change in fines reflects inflation increases that should have been adjusted long ago. This was done in accordance with the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015, which requires federal agencies to increase fines to account for inflation each year.
Other notable penalty changes from the final rule include:
- Violations of commercial regulations (property carriers) – Old fine $10,932. New fine- $11,125
- Minimum rail safety penalty – Old fine $892. The new fine is $908.
- Maximum civil penalty for violating procedures for use and allocation of shipping services, port facilities, and national defense operations – Old Fine $26,582. New fine $27,051.
Keeping track of all these changes can be confusing. Thankfully, Blueline stays on top of the latest regulations and changes to keep you in compliance. Reach out to us if you have any questions.