WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) — The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced Jan. 23 that it has adjusted the maximum civil penalty dollar amounts for violations of 16 provisions of law the agency enforces.
The FTC is mandated by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 to implement annual inflation adjustments using a prescribed formula.
According to the agency, the maximum civil penalty for violations of Sections 5(l), 5(m)(l)(A) and 5(m)(l)(B) of the FTC Act, 7A(g)(l) of the Clayton Act and Section 525(b) of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act has increased from $40,654 to $41,484. The maximum penalty for violations of Section 10 of the FTC Act has increased from $534 to $545. The maximum penalty for violations of Section 814(a) of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 has increased from $1,156,953 to $1,180,566.
The FTC noted that these new maximum civil penalties will go into effect immediately after being published in the Federal Register.
The FTC voted 2-0 to publish the Federal Register notice that amends Commission Rule 1.98. Kenny Wright of the FTC’s Office of the General Counsel is the staff contact for the case.