N.C. Gen. Stat. » Chapter 95
NC General Statutes

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 95-138 (2026)

Civil penalties

✓ current as of July 2026
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(a) The Commissioner, upon recommendation of the Director, or the North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission in the case of an appeal, shall have the authority to assess penalties against any employer who violates the requirements of this Article, or any standard, rule, or order adopted under this Article, for amounts set in accordance with subsection (a1) of this section, except as otherwise provided, as follows:

(1) A penalty shall be assessed for each willful or repeat violation.

(2) A penalty shall be assessed for each serious violation.

(2a) A penalty of up to twenty-nine thousand dollars ($29,000) shall be assessed for each serious violation that involves injury to an employee under 18 years of age.

(2b) A penalty may be assessed for each violation that is adjudged not to be of a serious nature.

(3) A penalty shall be assessed against an employer who fails to correct and abate a violation, within the period allowed for its correction and abatement, which period shall not begin to run until the date of the final Order of the Commission in the case of any appeal proceedings in this Article initiated by the employer in good faith and not solely for the delay of avoidance of penalties. The assessment shall be made to apply to each day during which the failure or violation continues.

(4) A penalty shall be assessed for violating the posting requirements, as required under the provisions of this Article.

(a1) The Commissioner shall adjust minimum and maximum civil penalties in this section in accordance with the requirements set forth in the United States Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers published by the United States Department of Labor as necessary to comply with federal law. The Commissioner shall have a period of 60 calendar days from the date a final rule is published in the Federal Register to publish the civil penalties in the North Carolina Register under 13 NCAC 07A .0301 or any related or subsequent regulations setting penalty standards in compliance with Part 1903 of Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations, and on its website.

(b) The Commissioner shall adopt uniform standards that the Commissioner, the Commission, and the hearing examiner shall apply when determining appropriateness of the penalty. The following factors shall be used in determining whether a penalty is appropriate:

(1) Size of the business of the employer being charged.

(2) The gravity of the violation.

(3) The good faith of the employer.

(4) The record of previous violations; provided that for purposes of determining repeat violations, only the record within the previous three years is applicable.

(5) Whether the violation involves injury to an employee under 18 years of age.

(b1) The report of the hearing examiner and the report, decision, or determination of the Commission on appeal shall specify the standards applied in determining the reduction or affirmation of the penalty assessed by the Commissioner.

(c) The clear proceeds of all civil penalties and interest recovered by the Commissioner, together with the costs thereof, shall be remitted to the Civil Penalty and Forfeiture Fund in accordance with G.S. 115C-457.2. (1973, c. 295, s. 13; 1987 (Reg. Sess., 1988), c. 1111, s. 12; 1989 (Reg. Sess., 1990), c. 844; 1991, c. 329, s. 1; c. 761, s. 17; 1993, c. 474, s. 2; 1998-215, s. 111; 2004-203, s. 39(a); 2005-133, s. 8; 2006-39, s. 3; 2009-351, s. 4; 2022-74, s. 13.2(a).)

 

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 5 cases, 1981–1995 · leading case: Brooks v. McWhirter Grading Co., Inc., 281 S.E.2d 24 (N.C. 1981).
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Brooks v. McWhirter Grading Co., Inc., 281 S.E.2d 24 (N.C. 1981). · cites it 6× “Thus, we hold that in order to establish a serious violation under G.S. 95-138 the Commissioner must show by substantial evidence, see G.”
Cowan v. Laughridge Constr. Co., 291 S.E.2d 287 (N.C. Ct. App. 1982). “G.S. 95-138. We conclude that the adopted OSHA regulations are not penal in nature, and, therefore, a violation does not constitute negligence per se.”
O. S. Steel Erectors v. Brooks, 353 S.E.2d 869 (N.C. Ct. App. 1987). “” Although “willful” is not defined in the statute, G.S. 95-138 provides that “[a]ny employer who willfully or repeatedly violates the requirements of this Article, any standard, rule or order promulgated pursuant to this Article, or regulations prescribed pursuant to this…”
Associated Mech. Contractors, Inc. v. Payne, 453 S.E.2d 545 (N.C. Ct. App. 1995). · cites it 3× “N.C.G.S. § 95-138 (1993); see O.S. Steel Erectors v.”
Prevette v. Clark Equip. Co., 302 S.E.2d 639 (N.C. Ct. App. 1983). “” Plaintiffs argue that Clark’s payment of the citation and penalty imposed by the North Carolina Department of Labor and its failure to post written prohibitions and to impose sanctions for employees’ violation of the safety requirement indicate Clark’s willful failure to…”
— N.C. Gen. Stat. § 95-138(a) — 2 cases
Brooks v. McWhirter Grading Co., Inc., 281 S.E.2d 24 (N.C. 1981). “Thus, we hold that in order to establish a serious violation under G.S. 95-138 the Commissioner must show by substantial evidence, see G.”
Prevette v. Clark Equip. Co., 302 S.E.2d 639 (N.C. Ct. App. 1983). “” Plaintiffs argue that Clark’s payment of the citation and penalty imposed by the North Carolina Department of Labor and its failure to post written prohibitions and to impose sanctions for employees’ violation of the safety requirement indicate Clark’s willful failure to…”
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