After 25 years of non-adjustment, OSHA fines have increased. Since 1990, OSHA was exempt from any laws that had required federal agencies to raise their fines in order to keep up with inflation. As of 2015, that exemption was eliminated after a new law was signed.

The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 was a bill passed by the House of Representatives, then the Senate. On November 2, 2015 the bill reached the President, who then proceeded to sign the bill into law. The new law required that all adjustments to the Civil Monetary Penalty be made before July 1, 2016 in order for the changes to take place before August 1, 2016.

Once the adjustments were complete, it was calculated that each fine increased by 78.2%. The initial fine for a Serious or Other-than-Serious violation was $7,000 per violation. The new fine is $12,471 per violation. Next, the initial fine for a Failure to Abate violation was also $7,000 per day beyond abatement date. The new fine is $12,471 per day beyond abatement date. Lastly, the initial fine for a Willful or Repeated violation was $70,000 per violation. The new fine is $124,709 per violation. These new fines took place as of August 1, 2016.