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<section article="gle" article_name="Labor and Employment" number="3-308" title_number="3" title_name="Employment Standards and Conditions" subtitle_number="3" subtitle_name="Equal Pay for Equal Work">
  <level label="a">
    <text>An employer may not:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>willfully violate any provision of this subtitle;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>refuse entry to the Commissioner or an authorized representative of the Commissioner into a place of employment that the Commissioner is authorized under this subtitle to inspect; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>violate § 3–304.2 of this subtitle.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>The Commissioner may bring an action for injunctive relief and damages against a person who violates subsection (a)(1) of this section.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, an employer who violates any provision of subsection (a)(2) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding $300.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>This paragraph does not apply to a violation of § 3–304.2 of this subtitle.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>If an employer is found to have violated this subtitle two or more times within a 3–year period, the Commissioner or a court may require the employer to pay a civil penalty equal to 10% of the amount of damages owed by the employer.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>Each civil penalty assessed under this paragraph shall be paid to the General Fund of the State to offset the cost of enforcing this subtitle.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>If the Commissioner determines that an employer has violated § 3–304.2 of this subtitle, the Commissioner:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>shall issue an order compelling compliance; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>may, in the Commissioner’s discretion:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>for a first violation, issue a letter to the employer compelling compliance;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>for a second violation, assess a civil penalty of up to $300 for each employee or applicant for employment for whom the employer is not in compliance; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>for each subsequent violation, assess a civil penalty of up to $600 for each employee or applicant for employment for whom the employer is not in compliance if the violation occurred within 3 years after a previous determination that a violation had occurred.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>In determining the amount of the penalty, if assessed, the Commissioner shall consider:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the gravity of the violation;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the size of the employer’s business;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>the employer’s good faith; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>the employer’s history of violations under this subtitle.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>If the Commissioner assesses a penalty under paragraph (1)(ii) of this subsection, the penalty shall be subject to the notice and hearing requirements of Title 10, Subtitle 2 of the State Government Article.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
