Michigan House Bill 4317 increases penalties and fines for employer wage and fringe benefit violations

Original title: Labor: hours and wages; employer violations regarding the payment of wages and fringe benefits; increase sanctions for.

Last action · April 17, 2025: bill electronically reproduced 04/16/2025Sponsors: Penelope Tsernoglou and 16 others

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Law

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What This Bill Would Do

This bill would increase the annual penalty on unpaid wages and from 10% to 100%, raise potential for flagrant or repeated violations from twice to three times the owed amount, and increase the maximum civil fine for employers from $1,000.00 to $10,000.00.

Why it matters

The measure alters financial penalties for employers who fail to pay promised wages or , increasing costs for noncompliant employers and potentially raising recovery amounts for affected workers.

Who It Would Affect

Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Employees

Employees owed unpaid wages or fringe benefits would potentially receive higher annual penalty rates and increased exemplary damages if violations are flagrant or repeated.

Directly affected

Employers

Employers found in violation of wage and fringe benefit laws would face substantially higher annual penalty percentages, increased damages multipliers, and larger maximum civil fines.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens to the annual penalty rate for unpaid wages under this bill?

The annual penalty rate on wages and due to an employee would increase from 10% to 100%.

How much can civil fines increase for employers who violate the wage act?

The maximum civil penalty fine would increase from $1,000.00 to $10,000.00.

What else do you want to know?

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Where This Stands

Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.

Procedural history

4 actions

Apr 17, 2025House
bill electronically reproduced 04/16/2025
Apr 16, 2025HouseCommittee
referred to Committee on Economic Competitiveness
Apr 16, 2025HouseIntroduced
read a first time
Apr 16, 2025HouseIntroduced
introduced by Representative Rep. Penelope Tsernoglou

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

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