DOL Freezes Civil Penalties at 2025 Levels

June 01, 2026

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has announced that federal civil monetary penalties will not receive an inflation adjustment for 2026. The Federal Register Notice from DOL keeps 2025 penalty amounts in place across DOL agencies, including OSHA, MSHA, Wage and Hour, and Employee Benefits Security Administration programs.

DOL said the adjustment could not be calculated because October 2025 CPI-U data was not published due to a federal funding lapse. OMB directed agencies to cancel 2026 adjustments and continue using 2025 amounts. DOL expects to revisit civil penalties in 2027.

The current 2025 penalties, which will be applicable to 2026, can be found here.