Civil penalties

A. (1) Any person, including but not limited to any apprenticeship program sponsor or employer of a registered apprentice, shall be subject to a civil penalty of up to five hundred dollars for a violation of the provisions of any of the following: (a) This Chapter. (b) Approved program standards. (c) An approved apprenticeship agreement. (d) Any rules or regulations governing apprenticeship adopted pursuant to the authority contained in this Chapter. (2) Reasonable litigation expenses may be awarded to the prevailing party of the adjudicatory hearing. "Reasonable litigation expenses" means any expenses, not exceeding seven thousand five hundred dollars, reasonably incurred in prosecuting, opposing, or contesting an agency action, including but not limited to attorney fees, stenographer fees, investigative fees and expenses, witness fees and expenses, and administrative costs. B. Civil penalties may be imposed only by a ruling of the assistant secretary of the office of workforce development pursuant to an adjudicatory hearing held in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act. C. Out of the civil penalties collected for violations of this Chapter, expenses incurred in enforcing the provisions of this Chapter may be paid by the commission. D. The assistant secretary of the office of workforce development may institute civil proceedings in the appropriate district court for the principal place of business of the employer to enforce his rulings or seek injunctive relief to restrain and prevent violations of the provisions of this Chapter or of the rules and regulations adopted under the provisions of this Chapter. The court shall award attorney fees and court costs to the prevailing party. In the event judgment is rendered in said court affirming the civil penalties assessed, the court shall also award to the office of workforce development judicial interest on said penalties from the date of such judgment until paid.