Rhode Island § 28-20-17 - Division of Occupational Safety

§ 28-20-17. Enforcement procedure.

(a) After the issuance of a compliance order pursuant to § 28-20-16(a), the director shall, within a reasonable time after the termination of the inspection or investigation, notify the employer by certified mail of the penalty, if any, proposed to be assessed under § 28-20-18 and that the employer has fifteen (15) working days within which to notify the director that the employer wishes to contest the compliance order or proposed assessment of penalty. If, within fifteen (15) working days from the receipt of the notice issued by the director the employer fails to notify the director that the employer intends to contest the compliance order or proposed assessment of penalty, and no notice is filed within that time by any employee or representative of employees under subsection (c) of this section, the compliance order and the assessment, as proposed, shall be deemed a final order of the review board and not subject to review as to any question of fact by any court or agency.

(b) If the director has reason to believe that an employer has failed to correct a violation for which a compliance order has been issued within the period permitted for its correction, which period shall not begin to run until the entry of a final order by the review board in the case of any review proceedings under this section initiated by the employer in good faith and not solely for delay or avoidance of penalties, the director shall notify the employer by certified mail of the failure and of the penalty proposed to be assessed under § 28-20-18 by reason of the failure, and that the employer has fifteen (15) working days within which to notify the director that the employer intends to contest the notification or proposed assessment of penalty. If, within fifteen (15) working days from the receipt of notification issued by the director, the employer fails to notify the director that the employer intends to contest the notification or proposed assessment of penalty, the notification and assessment, as proposed, shall be deemed a final order of the review board and not subject to any review as to any question of fact by any court or agency.

(c) If an employer notifies the director that the employer intends to contest a compliance order issued under § 28-20-16 or notification issued under subsection (a) or (b) of this section, or if within fifteen (15) working days of the issuance of a compliance order under § 28-20-16 any employee or representative of employees files a notice with the director alleging that the period of time fixed in the compliance order for the abatement of the violation is unreasonable, the director shall immediately notify in writing the chairperson of the review board of the notification, and the review board shall afford an opportunity for a hearing. The review board shall subsequently issue an order based on findings of fact affirming, modifying, or vacating the director’s compliance order or proposed penalty, or directing other appropriate relief, and the order shall become final thirty (30) days after its issuance. Upon a showing by an employer of a good faith effort to comply with the abatement requirements of a compliance order, and that abatement has not been completed because of factors beyond the employer’s reasonable control, the review board, after an opportunity for a hearing, shall issue an order affirming or modifying the abatement requirements in the compliance order. The rules of procedure prescribed by the review board shall provide the affected employee or representatives of affected employees an opportunity to participate as parties to hearings under this subsection.