Public Administration · Portland, OR

City of Portland

According to OSHA enforcement records (2010–2026), City of Portland has a concerning safety record: 38 violations across 35 inspections. See the full breakdown below.

Top 10% by penalty55% serious
$35,555
OSHA penalties
38
Violations cited
35
OSHA inspections
$0
Back wages owed

City of Portland in Portland, OR has been the subject of 35 OSHA workplace inspections and 38 citations since 2010, according to enforcement records from the U.S. Department of Labor. Total penalties assessed: $35,555. Separately, the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division found $0 in back wages owed to an undisclosed number of workers. All enforcement data below is sourced from the DOL public enforcement databases at data.dol.gov.

The record in one line

OSHA has kept close, sustained watch on City of Portland: 35 inspections in 5 years, several times a year. These inspections resulted in 38 violations, averaging 1.1 per inspection. Its total OSHA penalty ranks in the top 10% of penalized employers nationally. Of these, 21 were classified as serious - indicating hazards that could cause death or serious harm. Against the Public Administration industry average of 3 inspections per employer, this runs far above peers (11.2x the sector average) on inspection frequency. The Department of Labor also found wage violations, with $0 in back wages owed to an undisclosed number of workers. For comparison, CA Motor Vehicles in Sacramento, CA is another public administration employer with 19 OSHA inspections on record and $35,835 in current penalties.

1.1
violations per inspection
55.3%
of violations were serious
92%
of penalized employers rank lower
$0
in back wages recovered

How City of Portland compares on OSHA penalties

Total current penalty vs the Public Administration per-employer average

in penalties

What this shows City of Portland runs far above peers (13.8x the sector average) in total OSHA penalties.

Source U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA enforcement extracts As of 2026

Where this penalty ranks nationally

Total current OSHA penalty vs every U.S. employer with a nonzero penalty

$35,555 Bottom 8% least affordable more affordable than 8% of 100,495 U.S. employers with a penalty

$0–$5,000: 44,435 U.S. employers with a penalty (44%). Below this entry. $5,000–$10,000: 20,628 U.S. employers with a penalty (21%). Below this entry. $10,000–$15,000: 11,165 U.S. employers with a penalty (11%). Below this entry. $15,000–$20,000: 6,629 U.S. employers with a penalty (7%). Below this entry. $20,000–$25,000: 4,205 U.S. employers with a penalty (4%). Below this entry. $25,000–$30,000: 2,885 U.S. employers with a penalty (3%). Below this entry. $30,000–$35,000: 2,052 U.S. employers with a penalty (2%). Below this entry. $35,000–$40,000: 1,483 U.S. employers with a penalty (1%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$45,000: 1,120 U.S. employers with a penalty (1%). Above this entry. $45,000–$50,000: 792 U.S. employers with a penalty (1%). Above this entry. $50,000–$55,000: 5,101 U.S. employers with a penalty (5%). Above this entry. This employer $0 $55,000 every penalized U.S. employer, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $5K-wide band; taller bars hold more U.S. employers with a penalty. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA enforcement extracts · 2026

What the Data Says About City of Portland

The federal enforcement record for City of Portland in Portland, OR includes 35 OSHA inspections and 38 violations, translating to 1.09 violations per inspection. Of those violations, 21 (55.3%) were classified as serious, 0 (0.0%) as willful, and 3 (7.9%) 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.

OSHA assessed $35,825 in initial penalties against this employer, later adjusted to a current total of $35,555 - a 0.8% reduction. Average penalty per inspection works out to $1,016. Against the Public Administration industry average of $2,581 per employer, this record runs far above peers (13.8x the sector average). The Wage and Hour Division added 1 case producing $0 in back wages owed to an undisclosed number of workers.

Inspection activity spans from 2010-03-04 to 2014-09-04, a window of roughly 5 years.

Enforcement detail

OSHA Inspection History

Total Inspections

35

First Inspection

2010-03-04

Last Inspection

2014-09-04

Inspection Span

5 yrs

Violations / Inspection

1.1

Avg Penalty / Inspection

$1,016

Industry Avg / Inspection

$826

What this shows 35 inspections over 5 years, averaging 1.1 violations per visit. That's $1,016 per inspection vs. the Public Administration average of $826.

Enforcement detail

Violation Breakdown

21

Serious

55.3% of total

0

Willful

0.0% of total

3

Repeat

7.9% of total

14

Other-Than-Serious

36.8% 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.

Enforcement detail

Penalty Analysis

Initial Penalty Assessed

$35,825

Current Penalty Amount

$35,555

Penalty Reduction

0.8%

Combined Impact (OSHA + WHD)

$35,555

What this shows Penalties were reduced by $270 from the initial assessment of $35,825. Reductions may result from informal settlements, formal contests, or negotiated agreements with OSHA.

Wage & Hour Findings

WHD Cases
1
Back Wages Owed
$0
Employees Affected
0
WHD Violations
1

Industry Safety Context: Public Administration

How City of Portland compares to the Public Administration sector, which has 9,788 employers tracked by PlainWorker.

Metric City of Portland Industry Avg
Inspections 35 3.1
Violations 38 6.4
Total Penalty $35,555 $2,581
Avg Penalty per Inspection $1,016 $826

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is City of Portland safe to work at?
Based on OSHA records, City of Portland's workplace safety record is concerning, with multiple serious compliance issues. The employer has 38 violations across 35 inspections, including 21 serious violations. Compared to Public Administration industry peers, this is above average for penalties. Review the full inspection history below for details.
How many OSHA violations does City of Portland have?
City of Portland has 38 OSHA violations on record, including 21 serious, 0 willful, and 3 repeat violations. The total current penalty amount is $35,555.
How many OSHA inspections has City of Portland had?
City of Portland has had 35 OSHA inspections, with the first recorded on 2010-03-04 and the most recent on 2014-09-04. This averages 1.1 violations per inspection.
What is the total penalty amount for City of Portland?
City of Portland has been assessed $35,555 in current OSHA penalties, reduced from an initial assessment of $35,825 (a 0.8% reduction). Additionally, $0 in back wages were owed through WHD enforcement.
Does City of Portland have any serious or willful violations?
Yes. City of Portland has 21 serious violations, and 3 repeat 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 City of Portland been cited for wage theft?
Yes. The Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division has recorded 1 enforcement case against City of Portland, resulting in $0 in back wages owed to an undisclosed number of workers. These cases involve violations of federal labor laws including minimum wage, overtime, and other worker protections.
What industry does City of Portland operate in?
City of Portland operates in the Public Administration sector (NAICS code 921110). This industry has 9,788 employers tracked by PlainWorker, with 30,564 total OSHA inspections and $25.26M in cumulative penalties.
What should I do if City of Portland owes me wages?
If you believe City of Portland 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 $0 in back wages owed by this employer across 1 case.
How does City of Portland's safety record compare to industry average?
City of Portland's total OSHA penalty of $35,555 is above the Public Administration industry average of $2,581 per employer (13.8x the average). The employer has 35 inspections compared to the industry average of 3.1 per employer. For a direct comparison, CA Motor Vehicles in Sacramento, CA is a similar public administration employer with $35,835 in current penalties.

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What to check next

City of Portland'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 35 inspections on record. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026.