Transportation & Warehousing · Chicago, IL

Chicago Transit Authority

According to OSHA enforcement records (2010–2026), Chicago Transit Authority has a mixed safety record: 11 violations across 6 inspections. See the full breakdown below.

82% serious
$0
OSHA penalties
11
Violations cited
6
OSHA inspections
$182,309
Back wages owed

Chicago Transit Authority in Chicago, IL has been the subject of 6 OSHA workplace inspections and 11 citations since 2010, according to enforcement records from the U.S. Department of Labor. The employer also has 56 Wage and Hour Division (WHD) cases on record, covering Fair Labor Standards Act enforcement. All enforcement data below is sourced from the DOL public enforcement databases at data.dol.gov.

The record in one line

OSHA has inspected Chicago Transit Authority 6 times over 8 years, roughly once every couple of years. These inspections resulted in 11 violations, averaging 1.8 per inspection. Of these, 9 were classified as serious - indicating hazards that could cause death or serious harm. Against the Transportation & Warehousing industry average of 2 inspections per employer, this runs well above peers (3.3x the sector average) on inspection frequency. The Department of Labor also found wage violations, with $182,309 in back wages owed to 6 affected workers. For comparison, Taylored Services in Ontario, CA is another transportation & warehousing employer with 0 OSHA inspections on record and $0 in current penalties.

1.8
violations per inspection
81.8%
of violations were serious
$182,309
in back wages recovered

What the Data Says About Chicago Transit Authority

The federal enforcement record for Chicago Transit Authority in Chicago, IL includes 6 OSHA inspections and 11 violations, translating to 1.83 violations per inspection. Of those violations, 9 (81.8%) were classified as serious, 0 (0.0%) as willful, and 0 (0.0%) as repeat. Serious violations denote hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm; willful and repeat categories indicate intentional disregard or recurrence of previously cited hazards.

No OSHA penalty has been assessed against Chicago Transit Authority to date. The Transportation & Warehousing sector average runs $6,058 per employer. The Wage and Hour Division added 56 cases producing $182,309 in back wages owed to 6 affected workers.

Inspection activity spans from 2014-10-21 to 2022-07-18, a window of roughly 8 years.

Enforcement detail

OSHA Inspection History

Total Inspections

6

First Inspection

2014-10-21

Last Inspection

2022-07-18

Inspection Span

8 yrs

Violations / Inspection

1.8

Avg Penalty / Inspection

$0

Industry Avg / Inspection

$3,294

What this shows 6 inspections over 8 years, averaging 1.8 violations per visit. That's $0 per inspection vs. the Transportation & Warehousing average of $3,294.

Enforcement detail

Violation Breakdown

9

Serious

81.8% of total

0

Willful

0.0% of total

0

Repeat

0.0% of total

2

Other-Than-Serious

18.2% of total

What this shows Serious violations involve hazards that could cause death or serious physical harm. Willful violations indicate intentional or knowing disregard of the law. Repeat violations are for hazards previously cited within the past 5 years.

Wage & Hour Findings

WHD Cases
56
Back Wages Owed
$182,309
Employees Affected
6
WHD Violations
15
Avg Back Wages per Employee
$30,385
Avg Back Wages per Case
$3,256

The Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division found that Chicago Transit Authority owed $182,309 in back wages to 6 employees across 56 cases and 15 violations. WHD enforces federal labor laws including the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), covering minimum wage, overtime pay, and child labor standards.

Industry Safety Context: Transportation & Warehousing

How Chicago Transit Authority compares to the Transportation & Warehousing sector, which has 10,024 employers tracked by PlainWorker.

Metric Chicago Transit Authority Industry Avg
Inspections 6 1.8
Violations 11 3.2
Total Penalty $0 $6,058
Avg Penalty per Inspection $0 $3,294

Nearby & Similar Employers in Transportation & Warehousing

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Chicago Transit Authority safe to work at?
Based on OSHA records, Chicago Transit Authority's workplace safety record is mixed, with some compliance concerns. The employer has 11 violations across 6 inspections, including 9 serious violations. Compared to Transportation & Warehousing industry peers, this is below average for penalties. Review the full inspection history below for details.
How many OSHA violations does Chicago Transit Authority have?
Chicago Transit Authority has 11 OSHA violations on record, including 9 serious, 0 willful, and 0 repeat violations. The total current penalty amount is $0.
How many OSHA inspections has Chicago Transit Authority had?
Chicago Transit Authority has had 6 OSHA inspections, with the first recorded on 2014-10-21 and the most recent on 2022-07-18. This averages 1.8 violations per inspection.
What is the total penalty amount for Chicago Transit Authority?
Chicago Transit Authority has been assessed $0 in current OSHA penalties, reduced from an initial assessment of $6,600 (a 100.0% reduction). Additionally, $182,309 in back wages were owed through WHD enforcement.
Does Chicago Transit Authority have any serious or willful violations?
Yes. Chicago Transit Authority has 9 serious violations. Serious violations involve hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm. Willful violations indicate the employer intentionally or knowingly disregarded the law.
Has Chicago Transit Authority been cited for wage theft?
Yes. The Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division has recorded 56 enforcement cases against Chicago Transit Authority, resulting in $182,309 in back wages owed to 6 affected workers. These cases involve violations of federal labor laws including minimum wage, overtime, and other worker protections.
What industry does Chicago Transit Authority operate in?
Chicago Transit Authority operates in the Transportation & Warehousing sector (NAICS code 485111). This industry has 10,024 employers tracked by PlainWorker, with 18,434 total OSHA inspections and $60.73M in cumulative penalties.
What should I do if Chicago Transit Authority owes me wages?
If you believe Chicago Transit Authority owes you wages, you can file a complaint with the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division at dol.gov/agencies/whd/contact/complaints or by calling 1-866-487-9243. WHD investigates violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act including unpaid minimum wage, overtime, and unauthorized deductions. The DOL has previously found $182,309 in back wages owed by this employer across 56 cases.
How does Chicago Transit Authority's safety record compare to industry average?
Chicago Transit Authority's total OSHA penalty of $0 is below the Transportation & Warehousing industry average of $6,058 per employer. The employer has 6 inspections compared to the industry average of 1.8 per employer. For a direct comparison, Taylored Services in Ontario, CA is a similar transportation & warehousing employer with $0 in current penalties.

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What to check next

Chicago Transit Authority's record is one establishment in a larger pattern. Use it as a research checklist, not a verdict on the employer overall.

These figures are the federal enforcement record on file and reflect past inspections, not a statement about current workplace conditions. See the disclaimer for how to read them.

Data Sources & Methodology

Data as of 2026. Source: U.S. Department of Labor (OSHA, WHD).

Source: OSHA Enforcement Data

Inspection and violation records from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), U.S. Department of Labor, covering the period 2010–2026. Includes inspection dates, violation types (serious, willful, repeat, other-than-serious), and penalty amounts. Penalties shown are current assessed amounts and may differ from original citations due to settlement, contest, or reduction.

Source: Wage and Hour Division (WHD)

Compliance actions from the WHD, covering enforcement of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), including minimum wage, overtime, and child labor violations. Back wages represent amounts owed to affected employees as determined by WHD investigations.

Employer Matching

Employers are matched across OSHA and WHD datasets by name, state, and city. Employers included in PlainWorker have 2 or more OSHA inspections or $1,000+ in WHD back wages. Data is updated monthly from data.dol.gov.

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Every figure on PlainWorker is rendered directly from official U.S. Department of Labor OSHA and Wage & Hour Division enforcement records, no number is typed in by an editor. This employer's ratios (penalty-per-violation, industry comparisons) are computed live from the 6 inspections on record. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026.