(a) Any person against whom a penalty is assessed or whose goods are confiscated shall, in lieu of contesting the penalty or the confiscation pursuant to this section, transmit to the office of the Labor Commissioner designated on the citation the amount specified for the violation within 15 business days after the issuance of the citation.
(b) If a person desires to contest an assessment of a penalty or the confiscation of goods, he or she shall, within 15 business days after service of the citation or confiscation of the goods, or both, petition, in writing, the office of the Labor Commissioner which appears on the citation or on the receipt for the confiscated goods of his or her request for an informal hearing. The Labor Commissioner or his or her deputy or agent shall, within 30 days, hold a hearing at the conclusion of which the penalty set forth in the citation or the issue of the confiscation of the goods, or both, shall be affirmed, modified, or dismissed. If confiscated goods are involved, the hearing shall be held within 10 days. The decision of the Labor Commissioner shall consist of a notice of findings, findings, and order which shall be served on all parties to the hearing within 15 days after the hearing by regular first-class mail at the last known address of the party on file with the Labor Commissioner. Service shall be completed pursuant to Section 1013 of the Code of Civil Procedure. Any amount found due by the Labor Commissioner as a result of a hearing shall become due and payable 45 days after notice of the findings and written findings and order have been mailed to the party assessed. A writ of mandate may be taken from this finding to the appropriate superior court, as long as the party agrees to pay any judgment and costs ultimately rendered by the court against the party for the assessment. The writ must be taken within 45 days of service of the notice of findings, findings, and order thereon.
(c) When no petition objecting to a citation or the proposed assessment of a civil penalty or confiscation of goods, or both, is filed, a certified copy of the citation or proposed civil penalty may be filed by the Labor Commissioner in the office of the clerk of the superior court in any county in which the person assessed has property or in which the person assessed has or had a place of business. The clerk, immediately upon the filing, shall enter judgment for the state against the person assessed in the amount shown on the citation or proposed assessment of a civil penalty.
(d) When findings and the order thereon are made affirming or modifying a citation or proposed assessment of a civil penalty after hearing, a certified copy of these findings and the order entered thereon may be entered by the Labor Commissioner in the office of the clerk of the superior court in any county in which the person assessed has property or in which the person assessed has or had a place of business. The clerk, immediately upon the filing, shall enter judgment for the state against the person assessed in the amount shown on the certified order.
(e) A judgment entered pursuant to this section shall bear the same rate of interest and shall have the same effect as other judgments and be given the same preference allowed by law on other judgments rendered for claims for taxes. The clerk shall make no charge for the service provided by this section to be performed by him or her.
(Repealed and added by Stats. 1988, Ch. 96, Sec. 12.)