New Jersey § 34:11-56

§ 34:11-56.

(a) Any employer who willfully hinders or delays the commissioner in the performance

of his duties in the enforcement of this act, or fails to make, keep, and preserve

any records as required under the provisions of this act, or falsifies any such record,

or refuses to make any such record accessible to the commissioner upon demand, or fails to timely respond to or furnish records required by a subpoena issued by

the commissioner, or refuses to furnish a sworn statement of such record or any other information required

for the proper enforcement of this act to the commissioner upon demand, or pays or

agrees to pay wages at a rate less than the rate applicable under this act or otherwise

violates any provision of this act or of any regulation or order issued under this

act shall be guilty of a disorderly persons offense and shall, upon conviction therefor,

be fined not less than $100.00 nor more than $1,000 or be imprisoned for not less

than 10 nor more than 90 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment. Each week, in any day of which a worker is paid less than the rate applicable to

him under this act and each worker so paid, shall constitute a separate offense. In addition to the foregoing fines, and in addition to or as an alternative to any

criminal proceedings, if an employer fails to comply with any lawfully issued subpoena,

or on the refusal of any witness to testify to any matter regarding which the witness

may be lawfully interrogated, the commissioner may apply to the Superior Court to

compel obedience by proceedings for contempt, in the same manner as in failure to

comply with the requirements of a subpoena issued from the court or a refusal to testify

in the court. (b) As an alternative to or in addition to any other sanctions provided by law for

violations of any provision of P.L.1963, c. 150 ( C.34:11-56.25 et seq. ), when the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development finds that an employer

has violated that act, the commissioner is authorized to assess and collect administrative

penalties, up to a maximum of $2,500 for a first violation and up to a maximum of

$5,000 for each subsequent violation, specified in a schedule of penalties to be promulgated

as a rule or regulation by the commissioner in accordance with the “Administrative

Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c. 410 ( C.52:14B-1 et seq. ). When determining the amount of the penalty imposed because of a violation, the commissioner

shall consider factors which include the history of previous violations by the employer,

the seriousness of the violation, the good faith of the employer and the size of the

employer's business. No administrative penalty shall be levied pursuant to this section unless the Commissioner

of Labor and Workforce Development provides the alleged violator with notification

of the violation and of the amount of the penalty by certified mail and an opportunity

to request a hearing before the commissioner or his designee within 15 days following

the receipt of the notice. If a hearing is requested, the commissioner shall issue a final order upon such

hearing and a finding that a violation has occurred. If no hearing is requested, the notice shall become a final order upon expiration

of the 15-day period. Payment of the penalty is due when a final order is issued or when the notice becomes

a final order. Any penalty imposed pursuant to this section may be recovered with costs in a summary

proceeding commenced by the commissioner pursuant to the “Penalty Enforcement Law

of 1999,” P.L.1999, c. 274 ( C.2A:58-10 et seq. ). Any sum collected as a fine or penalty pursuant to this section shall be applied

toward enforcement and administration costs of the Division of Workplace Standards

in the Department of Labor and Workforce Development. (c) When the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development finds that the employer

has violated provisions of P.L.1963, c. 150 ( C.34:11-56.25 et seq. ), the commissioner may refer the matter to the Attorney General or his designee for

investigation and prosecution. Nothing in this subsection shall be deemed to limit the authority of the Attorney

General to investigate and prosecute violations of the New Jersey Code of Criminal

Justice, nor to limit the commissioner's ability to refer any matter for criminal

investigation or prosecution. (d) If the commissioner makes an initial determination that an employer has violated

the provisions of P.L.1963, c. 150 ( C.34:11-56.25 et seq. ) by paying wages at rates less than the rates applicable under that act, whether

or not the commissioner refers the matter to the Attorney General or other appropriate

prosecutorial authority for investigation or prosecution pursuant to subsection (c)

of this section, the commissioner may immediately issue a stop-work order to cease

all business operations at one or more worksites or across all of the employer's worksites and places of business . The stop-work order may be issued only against the employer found to be in violation

or non-compliance. If a stop-work order has been issued against a subcontractor pursuant to this subsection,

the general contractor shall retain the right to terminate the subcontractor from

the project. The stop-work order shall remain in effect until the commissioner issues an order

releasing the stop-work order upon finding that the employer has agreed to pay wages

at the required rate and has paid any wages due and any penalty deemed satisfactory

to the commissioner. Once the stop-work order is issued, any employee affected by a stop-work order issued

pursuant to this section shall be entitled to pay from the employer for the first

ten days of work lost because of the stop-work order. Upon request of any employee not paid wages, the commissioner can take assignment

of the claim and bring any legal action necessary to collect all that is due. As a condition for release from a stop-work order, the commissioner may require

the employer to file with the department periodic reports for a probationary period

that shall not exceed two years that demonstrate the employer's continued compliance

with the provisions of P.L.1963, c. 150 ( C.34:11-56.25 et seq. ). The commissioner may assess a civil penalty of $5,000 per day against an employer

for each day that it conducts business operations that are in violation of the stop-work

order. That penalty shall be collected by the commissioner in a summary proceeding in accordance

with the “Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999,” P.L.1999, c. 274 ( C.2A:58-10 et seq. ).