Public Administration · Syracuse, NY

Onondaga County

According to OSHA enforcement records (2010–2026), Onondaga County has a concerning safety record: 61 violations across 19 inspections. See the full breakdown below.

87% serious

Compiled byPlainworker Editorial, Workplace Safety Editorial Team · July 8, 2026

$0
OSHA penalties: 61
Violations cited: 19
OSHA inspections: $76,221
Back wages owed

Onondaga County in Syracuse, NY has been the subject of 19 OSHA workplace inspections and 61 citations since 2010, according to enforcement records from the U.S. Department of Labor. Separately, the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division found $76,221 in back wages owed to 5 affected workers. All enforcement data below is sourced from the DOL public enforcement databases at data.dol.gov.

The record in one line

OSHA has inspected Onondaga County 19 times over 7 years - more than twice a year on average. These inspections resulted in 61 violations, averaging 3.2 per inspection, above what's typical for a single visit. Of these, 53 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 (6.1x the sector average) on inspection frequency. The Department of Labor also found wage violations, with $76,221 in back wages owed to 5 affected workers. For comparison, County of Maui - Dept. of Fire and Public Safety in Kihei, HI is another public administration employer with 2 OSHA inspections on record and $75,331 in current penalties.

3.2
violations per inspection: 86.9%
of violations were serious: $76,221
in back wages recovered

What the Data Says About Onondaga County

The federal enforcement record for Onondaga County in Syracuse, NY includes 19 OSHA inspections and 61 violations, translating to 3.21 violations per inspection. Of those violations, 53 (86.9%) were classified as serious, 0 (0.0%) as willful, and 7 (11.5%) 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 Onondaga County to date. The Public Administration sector average runs $2,581 per employer. The Wage and Hour Division added 1 case producing $76,221 in back wages owed to 5 affected workers.

Inspection activity spans from 2015-09-01 to 2022-08-09, a window of roughly 7 years.

Total Inspections

First Inspection

2015-09-01

Last Inspection

2022-08-09

Inspection Span

7 yrs

Violations / Inspection

3.2

Avg Penalty / Inspection

Industry Avg / Inspection

$826

What this shows 19 inspections over 7 years, averaging 3.2 violations per visit. That's $0 per inspection vs. the Public Administration average of $826.

Serious

86.9% of total

Willful

0.0% of total

Repeat

11.5% of total

Other-Than-Serious

1.6% 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

Back Wages Owed

$76,221

Employees Affected

WHD Violations

Avg Back Wages per Employee

$15,244

Avg Back Wages per Case

$76,221

The Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division found that Onondaga County owed $76,221 in back wages to 5 employees across 1 case and 6 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: Public Administration

How Onondaga County compares to the Public Administration sector, which has 9,788 employers tracked by PlainWorker.

Metric	Onondaga County	Industry Avg
Inspections	19	3.1
Violations	61	6.4
Total Penalty	$0	$2,581
Avg Penalty per Inspection	$0	$826

View all 9,788 employers in Public Administration →

Nearby & Similar Employers in Public Administration

Orange Fire Department - Station #2

Orange, NJ

2 inspections $76,300

City of Santa Rosa/Water & Wastewater Department

Santa Rosa, NM

4 inspections $75,879

Northern State Prison

Newark, NJ

14 inspections $77,000

Liberty County Sheriff's Office

Liberty, TX

0 inspections $0

County of Maui - Dept. of Fire and Public Safety

Kihei, HI

2 inspections $75,331

Compare Onondaga County vs Orange Fire Department - Station #2 side-by-side →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Onondaga County safe to work at? ▼

Based on OSHA records, Onondaga County's workplace safety record is concerning, with multiple serious compliance issues. The employer has 61 violations across 19 inspections, including 53 serious violations. Compared to Public Administration industry peers, this is below average for penalties. Review the full inspection history below for details.

How many OSHA violations does Onondaga County have? ▼

Onondaga County has 61 OSHA violations on record, including 53 serious, 0 willful, and 7 repeat violations. The total current penalty amount is $0.

How many OSHA inspections has Onondaga County had? ▼

Onondaga County has had 19 OSHA inspections, with the first recorded on 2015-09-01 and the most recent on 2022-08-09. This averages 3.2 violations per inspection.

What is the total penalty amount for Onondaga County? ▼

Onondaga County has been assessed $0 in current OSHA penalties. Additionally, $76,221 in back wages were owed through WHD enforcement.

Does Onondaga County have any serious or willful violations? ▼

Yes. Onondaga County has 53 serious violations, and 7 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 Onondaga County been cited for wage theft? ▼

Yes. The Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division has recorded 1 enforcement case against Onondaga County, resulting in $76,221 in back wages owed to 5 affected workers. These cases involve violations of federal labor laws including minimum wage, overtime, and other worker protections.

What industry does Onondaga County operate in? ▼

Onondaga County operates in the Public Administration sector (NAICS code 921140). 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 Onondaga County owes me wages? ▼

If you believe Onondaga County 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 $76,221 in back wages owed by this employer across 1 case.

How does Onondaga County's safety record compare to industry average? ▼

Onondaga County's total OSHA penalty of $0 is below the Public Administration industry average of $2,581 per employer. The employer has 19 inspections compared to the industry average of 3.1 per employer. For a direct comparison, County of Maui - Dept. of Fire and Public Safety in Kihei, HI is a similar public administration employer with $75,331 in current penalties.

Explore PlainWorker

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What to check next

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

See how Onondaga County compares to the 9,788 other employers in Public Administration. Public Administration record
Put this employer head-to-head with another on inspections, penalties, and back wages. Compare employers
Review the full OSHA & wage-enforcement picture for NY. NY state record

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.