OSHA Fails to Collect Fines

OSHA failed to collect $19.1 million in fines during Fiscal Years 2018 and 2019, according to a Department of Labor Office of Inspector General audit. The agency’s Debt Collection Accountability Team failed to refer delinquent debt to the Treasury’s Fiscal Service for timely collection and didn’t notify area offices on the final status of the uncollected fines.

On Oct. 1, 2019, anonymous allegations were made against OSHA and the Treasury’s Fiscal Service Debt Management Service. The OIG audit found OSHA wasn’t manipulating data but that its Debt Collection Accountability Team did mishandle collections resulting in the uncollected fines for FY 2018 and 2019.

OSHA’s team didn’t refer delinquent debt to Fiscal Service for collection in a timely manner, often failing to transfer the debt until more than 30 days after the debt became 180 days delinquent. This left Fiscal Service a limited time to attempt collection before the debt was recalled.

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