COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on New Yorkers, but this new program may help reduce the strain. The OATH-Adjudicated ECB Violations Settlement Program has been authorized by the New York City Council and is expected to be signed into law by the mayor shortly.

If a judgment has been filed in court for your outstanding violation(s) and you failed to appear before OATH, you may be eligible to participate in the program, waive a percentage of your penalties, and clear your violations.

INT 2234-2021: An Overview

What is the OATH-Adjudicated ECB Violations Settlement Program?

The temporary program is intended to resolve outstanding ECB judgments under specific conditions. Simply put, it can help you settle your penalties at a reduced cost, though you’ll still have to pay your citation or fine. Depending on several factors, certain default penalties may be reduced.

Under this law, judgments docketed prior to the start of the pandemic (March 7, 2020) may be resolved by payment of 75% while judgments docketed during the pandemic (on or after March 7, 2020) may be resolved by payment of 25% of the penalty; all eligible judgments may not require payment of accrued interest.

Who may participate in the program?

You may be eligible for the amnesty program if you meet several criteria:

• You received a citation by a city agency for a common environmental control violation (sorry, you can’t include your parking tickets here)
• Your violation has been adjudicated by the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH).
• You failed to attend your hearing and have been found in default
• A judgment has been filed in court for your outstanding violation

You may not be eligible for a settlement if:

• You attended your OATH hearing
• Your violation has been issued recently and is not currently in judgment; judgments entered within 90 days prior to the start of the program are ineligible
• Your violation has not been turned over to any collection agency or office
• You have received a reduction from the Department of Buildings after correcting a compliance violation (if the compliance violation was issued by a different agency, you must show proof of compliance to the Department of Finance before participating in the program)
• You are in the process of satisfying the judgment through a payment plan or other resolution agreement

If you have made certain partial penalty payments prior to the start of the program, you may still be eligible to participate.

When will the program go into effect?

The program is currently awaiting the mayor’s signature. Once it is signed into law, the program will last 90 days during the 2022 fiscal year (July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2022) with a possible 90-day extension.

How can I participate?

Reach out to a Jaffa representative and they can help you determine if you’re eligible and assist in resolving these open penalties.

The settlement program is an excellent opportunity to avoid paying extra fines or incurring additional penalties.

For information on when this program goes into effect and for updates on all your compliance requirements, follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and/or Facebook.