Louisiana Revised Statutes 23:392 – Civil penalties
Terms Used In Louisiana Revised Statutes 23:392
- apprentice: as used in this Chapter is defined as a worker at least sixteen years of age, except where a higher minimum age standard is otherwise fixed by law, who is employed to learn an apprenticeable occupation pursuant to the standards of apprenticeship as provided for in the Louisiana Administrative Code, Title 40, Part 9, §317 in order to fulfill the requirements of the Louisiana Administrative Code, Title 40, Part 9, §301, and who has entered into a written apprentice agreement with an employer, an association of employers, or an organization of employees, providing for not less than two thousand hours of reasonably continuous employment, and for participation in an approved program of training through employment and through education in related and supplemental subjects. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 23:386
- Commission: means the Louisiana Workforce Commission. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 23:1
- Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
- person: includes a body of persons, whether incorporated or not. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 1:10
- Secretary: means the secretary of the commission. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 23:1
A.(1) Any person, including but not limited to any apprenticeship program sponsor or employer of a registered apprentice, shall be subject to a civil penalty of up to five hundred dollars for a violation of the provisions of any of the following:
(a) This Chapter.
(b) Approved program standards.
(c) An approved apprenticeship agreement.
(d) Any rules or regulations governing apprenticeship adopted pursuant to the authority contained in this Chapter.
(2) Reasonable litigation expenses may be awarded to the prevailing party of the adjudicatory hearing. “Reasonable litigation expenses” means any expenses, not exceeding seven thousand five hundred dollars, reasonably incurred in prosecuting, opposing, or contesting an agency action, including but not limited to attorney fees, stenographer fees, investigative fees and expenses, witness fees and expenses, and administrative costs.
B. Civil penalties may be imposed only by a ruling of the assistant secretary of the office of workforce development pursuant to an adjudicatory hearing held in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act.
C. Out of the civil penalties collected for violations of this Chapter, expenses incurred in enforcing the provisions of this Chapter may be paid by the commission.
D. The assistant secretary of the office of workforce development may institute civil proceedings in the appropriate district court for the principal place of business of the employer to enforce his rulings or seek injunctive relief to restrain and prevent violations of the provisions of this Chapter or of the rules and regulations adopted under the provisions of this Chapter. The court shall award attorney fees and court costs to the prevailing party. In the event judgment is rendered in said court affirming the civil penalties assessed, the court shall also award to the office of workforce development judicial interest on said penalties from the date of such judgment until paid.
Acts 1988, No. 854, §1, eff. July 18, 1988; Acts 1993, No. 611, §1, eff. June 15, 1993; Acts 1997, No. 1114, §1, eff. July 14, 1997; Acts 1997, No. 1172, §4, eff. June 30, 1997; Acts 2007, No. 113, §3; Acts 2010, No. 791, §1.