AN ACT INCREASING PENALTIES ON EMPLOYERS FOR REFUNDS OF WAGES IN EXCHANGE FOR FURNISHING EMPLOYMENT.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. Section 31-73 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1, 2013):

(a) When used in this section, "refund of wages" means: (1) The return by an employee to his employer or to any agent of his employer of any sum of money actually paid or owed to the employee in return for services performed, or (2) payment by the employer or his agent to an employee of wages at a rate less than that agreed to by the employee or by any authorized person or organization legally acting on his behalf.

(b) No employer, contractor, subcontractor, foreman, superintendent or supervisor of labor, acting by himself or by his agent, shall, directly or indirectly, demand, request, receive or exact any refund of wages, fee, sum of money or contribution from any person, or deduct any part of the wages agreed to be paid, upon the representation or the understanding that such refund of wages, fee, sum of money, contribution or deduction is necessary to secure employment or continue in employment. No such person shall require, request or demand that any person agree to make payment of any refund of wages, fee, contribution or deduction from wages in order to obtain employment or continue in employment. A payment to any person of a smaller amount of wages than the wage set forth in any written wage agreement or the repayment of any part of any wages received, if such repayment is not made in the payment of a debt evidenced by an instrument in writing, shall be prima facie evidence of a violation of this section.

(c) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any deductions from wages made in accordance with the provisions of any law, or of any rule or regulation made by any governmental agency.

(d) (1) Any person who violates any provision of this section shall be fined not more than one [hundred] thousand dollars, or imprisoned not more than thirty days for the first offense, and, (2) for each subsequent offense, shall be fined not more than two thousand five hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than six months or both.