Sec. 17. The commissioner of labor and any officer or employee of the department of labor designated by the commissioner, in the performance of any duty, or the execution of any power prescribed by law, may administer oaths, certify to official acts and records, and, where specifically ordered by the governor, take and cause to be taken depositions of witnesses, issue subpoenas, and compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of papers, books, accounts, payrolls relating to the employment of workers, documents, records, and testimony. In case of the failure of any person to comply with any subpoena lawfully issued, or on the refusal of any witness to produce evidence or to testify to any matter regarding which the person may be lawfully interrogated, it shall be the duty of any circuit or superior court upon application of the commissioner or any officer or employee of the department of labor and a showing of the probable materiality of books, records, and papers, or, in the case of a witness, that the witness is believed to be possessed of information material to the examination, to compel obedience by attachment proceedings for contempt, as in the case of disobedience of the requirements, of a subpoena issued from a court or a refusal to testify in the court.

Formerly: Acts 1945, c.334, s.17. As amended by P.L.37-1985, SEC.26; P.L.136-2018, SEC.109.