<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<baltimore-city-law heading="Subtitle 6 – Penalties and Fines">
  <section prefix="§" num="6-1" heading="Interest on unpaid wages.">
    <para num="(a)" heading="In general.">Any employer who commits a violation of any of the provisions of this Division I shall be liable to the employee or employees affected:<para num="(1)">in the amount of their unpaid minimum wages, wages due, or overtime compensation, as the case may be; and</para>
      <para num="(2)">an additional amount of 10% per annum interest on unpaid minimum wages, wages due, or overtime compensation.</para>
    </para>
    <para num="(b)" heading="Computation of interest.">Such interest shall be calculated from the date of the violation resulting in the unpaid minimum wage, unpaid wages due, or unpaid overtime compensation until the date said monies are actually paid to the aggrieved employee.</para>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">City Code, 1976/83, art. 19, §70A(d)(1)</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 90-601</annotation>
  </section>
  <section prefix="§" num="6-2" heading="Fines.">
    <text>Any employer or employee who violates this Division I shall forfeit and pay to the City of Baltimore a penalty as follows:</text>
    <para num="(1)">for a 1&lt;sup&gt;st&lt;/sup&gt; offense, $250 for each violation;</para>
    <para num="(2)">for a 2&lt;sup&gt;nd&lt;/sup&gt; offense, $500 for each violation; and</para>
    <para num="(3)">for each subsequent offense, $1,000 for each violation.</para>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">City Code, 1966, art. 19, §59</annotation>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">1976/83, art. 19, §70A(d)(3)</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 64-370</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 90-601</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 08-084</annotation>
  </section>
  <section prefix="§" num="6-3" heading="Actions by employee.">
    <para num="(a)" heading="In general.">Nothing contained in this Division I shall be in any way construed to limit or abridge any rights possessed by any employee at common law, by statute, or by ordinance to bring a civil action to redress underpayments of wages.</para>
    <para num="(b)" heading="Civil action by employee.">
      <para num="(1)">Any employee who is aggrieved by underpayment or other violations of this Division I shall be entitled to bring such an action, and to recover therein such costs and reasonable counsel fees as the Court may allow.</para>
      <para num="(2)">Any agreement between such employee and his employer to work for less than the minimum wage prescribed therein is invalid and shall be no defense to such action.</para>
      <para num="(3)">Proceedings before the Wage Commission shall not be considered a precondition to such civil action.</para>
    </para>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">City Code, 1966, art. 19, §60</annotation>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">1976/83, art. 19, §70B</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 64-370</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 70-798</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 78-778</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 90-601</annotation>
  </section>
</baltimore-city-law>
