Utah Code
Utah Code § 34-28-9 (2026)
Enforcement of chapter -- Rulemaking authority
✓ current as of May 2026
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The division shall:
ensure compliance with this chapter;
investigate any alleged violations of this chapter; and
determine the validity of a claim for any violation of this chapter that is filed with the division by an employee.
The commission may make rules consistent with this chapter governing wage claims and payment of wages.
The minimum wage claim that the division may accept is $50.
The maximum wage claim that the division may accept is $10,000.
A wage claim shall be filed within one year after the day on which the wages were earned.
The division may assess against an employer who fails to pay an employee in accordance with this chapter, a penalty of 5% of the unpaid wages owing to the employee which shall be assessed daily until paid for a period not to exceed 20 days.
A person who violates Subsection 34-28-3(5) is subject to a civil fine of:
$50 for the first violation within a one-year period;
$100 for the second violation within a one-year period;
$100 for the third violation within a one-year period; and
$500 for the fourth violation and each subsequent violation within a one-year period.
The division shall deposit the money that the division receives under Subsection (3)(a) into the General Fund as a dedicated credit to the division to pay for the costs of administering this chapter.
An abstract of any final award under this section may be filed in the office of the clerk of the district court of any county in the state. If so filed, the abstract shall be docketed in the judgment docket of that district court.
The time of the receipt of the abstract shall be noted by the clerk and entered in the judgment docket.
Unless the award was previously satisfied, if an abstract is filed and docketed, the award constitutes a lien upon the employer's real property that is situated in the county in which the abstract is filed for a period of eight years after the day on which the award is granted.
The district court may issue an execution or a renewal on the order within the same time and in the same manner and with the same effect as if the order were a judgment issued by the district court.
The commission may employ counsel, appoint a representative, or request the attorney general, or the county attorney for the county in which the final award is filed and docketed, to represent the commission on all appeals and to enforce judgments.
The counsel employed by the commission, the attorney general, or the county representing the commission, shall be awarded:
reasonable attorney fees, as specified by the commission; and
costs for:
appeals when the plaintiff prevails; and
judgment enforcement proceedings.
The commission may enter into reciprocal agreements with the labor department or a corresponding agency of any other state or with the person, board, officer, or commission authorized to act on behalf of that department or agency, for the collection in any other state of claims or judgments for wages and other demands based upon claims previously assigned to the commission.
The commission may, to the extent provided by any reciprocal agreement entered into under Subsection (6)(a), or by the laws of any other state, maintain actions in the courts of the other states for the collection of any claims for wages, judgments, and other demands and may assign the claims, judgments, and demands to the labor department or an agency of any other state for collection to the extent that may be permitted or provided by the laws of that state or by reciprocal agreement.
The commission may maintain actions in the courts of this state upon assigned claims for wages, judgments, and demands arising in any other state in the same manner and to the same extent that the actions by the commission are authorized when arising in this state if:
the labor department or a corresponding agency of any other state or of any person, board, officer, or commission of that state authorized to act on behalf of the labor department or corresponding agency requests in writing that the commission commence and maintain the action; and
the other state by legislation or reciprocal agreement extends the same comity to this state.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 11
cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1981–2025 · leading case: Utley v. Mill Man Steel, Inc., 2015 UT 75 (Utah 2015).
Utley v. Mill Man Steel, Inc., 2015 UT 75 (Utah 2015). “§ 34-28-9-(1)(a)(iii). So even for lower value claims the subsection 5(c) exception would be a practical dead let- ter.”
In re Gen. Aeronautics Corp., 594 B.R. 442 (Bankr. D. Utah 2018). “See Utah Code Ann. § 34-28-9 (1)(a)(d)-(e) (2017).”
In Re Wal-Mart Wage & Hour Emp. Practices Litig., 490 F. Supp. 2d 1091 (D. Nev. 2007). “See Utah Code Ann. § 34-28-9 . Because no private right of action for § 34-28-3 exists, the Court will grant Defendants’ motion to dismiss with prejudice counts two and three of Plaintiff Williams’ Complaint.”
Action Elec. Co. v. Indus. Comm'n, 636 P.2d 474 (Utah 1981). “If it determines that a violation has occurred, “it shall enter its order or award in accordance with the requirements of this chapter” (§ 34-28-9, as amended). The Commission is also authorized to take assignments of wage claims or other designated rights from employees in…”
Merhish v. H. A. Folsom & Assocs., 646 P.2d 731 (Utah 1982). “, 1953, § 34-28-9 (Supp.1981). Appellants thereupon filed and docketed the Commission’s order in district court, garnished respondent’s bank account, and obtained payment in full.”
SMP, INC. v. Kirkman, 843 P.2d 531 (Utah Ct. App. 1992). “” The Industrial Commission has not, however, been granted any adjudicative authority to determine contractual disputes between employers and employees such as SMP’s claim. At most, the Industrial Commission is directed to “promote the voluntary arbitration, mediation, and…”
Rdg Assoc./jorman Corp. v. Indus. Com'n, 741 P.2d 948 (Utah 1987). “" [1] RDG petitioned for *950 review by trial de novo in the district court pursuant to § 34-28-9 by filing notices of appeal, but it did not file appeal bonds.”
RDG Assocs./Jorman Corp. v. Indus. Comm'n, 741 P.2d 948 (Utah 1987). “” 1 RDG petitioned for *950 review by trial de novo in the district court pursuant to § 34-28-9 by filing notices of appeal, but it did not file appeal bonds.”
Scholzen v. Scholzen Prods. Co. (D. Utah 2020). “Defendants assert that the UPWA claim is subject to a one-year limitations period pursuant to Utah Code Ann. § 34-28-9 (1)(e), which provides that “[a] wage claim shall be filed within one year after the day on which the wages were earned.”
Stenulson v. ROI Solutions (D. Utah 2021). “29 Utah Code Ann. § 34-28-9 (1)(e). 30 Yudin v.”
Cook v. Dava Mktg. LLC (D. Utah 2025). “UTAH EMPLOYMENT SECURITY ACT AND WORKERS’ COMPENSATION ACT Lastly, DAVA moves to dismiss Plaintiffs’ Utah Employment Security Act and Workers’ Compensation Act claim for failure to allege any injuries, and therefore failure to state a claim.”
— Utah Code § 34-28-9(1) — 1 case
Action Elec. Co. v. Indus. Comm'n, 636 P.2d 474 (Utah 1981). “If it determines that a violation has occurred, “it shall enter its order or award in accordance with the requirements of this chapter” (§ 34-28-9, as amended). The Commission is also authorized to take assignments of wage claims or other designated rights from employees in…”
— Utah Code § 34-28-9(1)(a) — 1 case
SMP, INC. v. Kirkman, 843 P.2d 531 (Utah Ct. App. 1992). “” The Industrial Commission has not, however, been granted any adjudicative authority to determine contractual disputes between employers and employees such as SMP’s claim. At most, the Industrial Commission is directed to “promote the voluntary arbitration, mediation, and…”
— Utah Code § 34-28-9(1)(d) — 1 case
Utley v. Mill Man Steel, Inc., 2015 UT 75 (Utah 2015). “§ 34-28-9-(1)(a)(iii). So even for lower value claims the subsection 5(c) exception would be a practical dead let- ter.”
— Utah Code § 34-28-9(1)(e) — 2 cases
Scholzen v. Scholzen Prods. Co. (D. Utah 2020). “Defendants assert that the UPWA claim is subject to a one-year limitations period pursuant to Utah Code Ann. § 34-28-9 (1)(e), which provides that “[a] wage claim shall be filed within one year after the day on which the wages were earned.”
Cook v. Dava Mktg. LLC (D. Utah 2025). “UTAH EMPLOYMENT SECURITY ACT AND WORKERS’ COMPENSATION ACT Lastly, DAVA moves to dismiss Plaintiffs’ Utah Employment Security Act and Workers’ Compensation Act claim for failure to allege any injuries, and therefore failure to state a claim.”
— Utah Code § 34-28-9(2) — 1 case
Utley v. Mill Man Steel, Inc., 2015 UT 75 (Utah 2015). “§ 34-28-9-(1)(a)(iii). So even for lower value claims the subsection 5(c) exception would be a practical dead let- ter.”
— Utah Code § 34-28-9(3) — 3 cases
Action Elec. Co. v. Indus. Comm'n, 636 P.2d 474 (Utah 1981). “If it determines that a violation has occurred, “it shall enter its order or award in accordance with the requirements of this chapter” (§ 34-28-9, as amended). The Commission is also authorized to take assignments of wage claims or other designated rights from employees in…”
Rdg Assoc./jorman Corp. v. Indus. Com'n, 741 P.2d 948 (Utah 1987). “" [1] RDG petitioned for *950 review by trial de novo in the district court pursuant to § 34-28-9 by filing notices of appeal, but it did not file appeal bonds.”
RDG Assocs./Jorman Corp. v. Indus. Comm'n, 741 P.2d 948 (Utah 1987). “” 1 RDG petitioned for *950 review by trial de novo in the district court pursuant to § 34-28-9 by filing notices of appeal, but it did not file appeal bonds.”
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