South Carolina § 40-68-150 - Prohibited acts; operation without license; wrongful use of title or representation of being licensed; use of forged or false information to obtain license or in disciplinary proceeding; use of expired or revoked license; penalties.

§ 40-68-150. Prohibited acts; operation without license; wrongful use of title or representation of being licensed; use of forged or false information to obtain license or in disciplinary proceeding; use of expired or revoked license; penalties.

(A) A person may not:

(1) engage in professional employer services without holding a license under this chapter as a professional employer organization or a professional employer organization group;

(2) use the name or title "staff leasing services company", "licensed staff leasing services company", "licensed staff leasing services group", or "professional employer organization", "licensed professional employer organization", "licensed professional employer organization group", "professional employer organization group", "staff leasing services group", or otherwise represent that it is licensed under this chapter, unless the entity holds a license issued under this chapter;

(3) represent as the person's own the license of another person or represent that a person is licensed if the person does not hold a license;

(4) give false or forged evidence to the department in connection with obtaining or renewing a license or in connection with disciplinary proceeding under this chapter;

(5) use or attempt to use a license that has expired or been revoked;

(6) offer an employee a self-funded, self-insured, or other employee benefit plan not licensed under Title 38, unless the program is maintained by the client company individually for the sole benefit of participating co-employees of the client company; or

(7) misrepresent that any self-funded, self-insured, or unlicensed benefit plans are licensed under Title 38 or otherwise in compliance with ERISA.

(B) A person who voluntarily violates the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be imprisoned not more than one year or fined not more than fifty thousand dollars, or both.

HISTORY: 1993 Act No. 169, SECTION 1; 2005 Act No. 112, SECTION 1.