(a) If the director finds that any employer or any employee, officer, or agent of any employer, in submitting facts concerning the termination of a claimant’s employment pursuant to Section 1030, 1327, 3654, 3701, 4654, or 4701, willfully makes a false statement or representation or willfully fails to report a material fact concerning that termination, the director shall assess a penalty of an amount not less than 2 nor more than 10 times the weekly benefit amount of that claimant. The director shall assess this penalty in the following manner:

(1) If the director finds that the employer was at fault for willfully making a false statement or representation or willfully failing to report a material fact concerning that termination, the director shall assess the penalty against the employer.

(2) If the director finds that the agent of the employer was at fault for willfully making a false statement or representation or willfully failing to report a material fact concerning that termination, the director shall assess the penalty against the agent of the employer.

(3) If the director finds that the employer and the agent of the employer were both at fault for willfully making a false statement or representation or willfully failing to report a material fact concerning that termination, the director shall assess the penalty against the employer and also shall assess another penalty against the agent of the employer.

(b) If the director finds that any employer or any employee, officer, or agent of any employer, in submitting a written statement concerning the reasonable assurance, as defined in subdivision (g) of Section 1253.3, of a claimant’s reemployment, as required by subdivisions (b), (c), and (i) of Section 1253.3, willfully makes a false statement or representation or willfully fails to report a material fact concerning the reasonable assurance of that reemployment, the director shall assess a penalty of an amount not less than 2 nor more than 10 times the weekly benefit amount of that claimant. The director shall assess this penalty in the following manner:

(1) If the director finds that the employer was at fault for willfully making a false statement or representation or willfully failing to report a material fact concerning the reasonable assurance of that reemployment, the director shall assess the penalty against the employer.

(2) If the director finds that the agent of the employer was at fault for willfully making a false statement or representation or willfully failing to report a material fact concerning the reasonable assurance of that reemployment, the director shall assess the penalty against the agent of the employer.

(3) If the director finds that the employer and the agent of the employer were both at fault for willfully making a false statement or representation or willfully failing to report a material fact concerning the reasonable assurance of that reemployment, the director shall assess the penalty against the employer and also shall assess another penalty against the agent of the employer.

(c) (1) This article, Article 9 (commencing with Section 1176) of this chapter with respect to refunds, and Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 1701) of this part with respect to collections shall apply to the assessments provided by this section. Penalties collected under this section shall be deposited in the contingent fund.

(2) Notwithstanding Section 1586, additional penalties that are assessed against an agent of the employer and collected pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) and paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) shall be available for the purposes specified in Section 1586 upon appropriation by the Legislature for those purposes.

(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 783, Sec. 8. (AB 1845) Effective January 1, 2013.)