§ 696-f. Penalties. 1. If the commissioner finds that any employer has violated any provision of this article or of a rule or regulation promulgated thereunder, the commissioner may, after an opportunity for a hearing, and by an order which shall describe particularly the nature of the violation, assess the employer a civil penalty of not more than ten thousand dollars for the first such violation within six years, not more than twenty thousand dollars for a second violation within six years and not more than fifty thousand dollars for a third or subsequent violation within six years. Such penalty shall be paid to the commissioner for deposit in the treasury of the state. In assessing the amount of the penalty, the commissioner shall give due consideration to the size of the employer's business, the good faith of the employer, the gravity of the violation, the history of previous violations and the failure to comply with record-keeping or other requirements.

2. Any order issued under subdivision one of this section shall be deemed a final order of the commissioner and not subject to review by any court or agency unless the employer files a petition with the industrial board of appeals for a review of the order, pursuant to section one hundred one of this chapter.

3. The civil penalty provided for in this section shall be in addition to and may be imposed concurrently with any other remedy or penalty provided for in this chapter.

4. Upon a showing by an employee organization, the commissioner may investigate by examining payroll records whether an employer withheld hours of work to employees for the purpose of reducing the employer's obligations under this article. If, after the opportunity for a hearing, the commissioner determines that an employer withheld hours of work to employees for the purpose of reducing the employer's obligations under this article, the commissioner may, in addition to any other penalty available, also require that the employer pay the standard benefits supplement rate to all of the employer's employees, regardless of the number of hours worked by the employees.