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Educational Services · Santa Cruz, CA

University of California Santa Cruz

According to OSHA enforcement records (2010–2026), University of California Santa Cruz ranks #92,988 of 99,447 penalized U.S. employers by total current penalty, with a relatively clean safety record: 1 violations across 2 inspections.

Lower half by penalty0% serious
$500
OSHA penalties
1
Violations cited
2
OSHA inspections
#92,988
of 99,447 penalized employers

University of California Santa Cruz in Santa Cruz, CA has been the subject of 2 OSHA workplace inspections and 1 citations since 2010, according to enforcement records from the U.S. Department of Labor. Total penalties assessed: $500. The employer also has 1 Wage and Hour Division (WHD) case 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 University of California Santa Cruz 2 times across a longer 8-year span, an infrequent cadence. These inspections resulted in 1 violation, averaging 0.5 per inspection, on the lighter side. According to OSHA enforcement records, its total current penalty ranks #92,988 of 99,447 penalized U.S. employers (the lower half of penalized employers nationally). Against the Educational Services industry average of 3 inspections per employer, this runs moderately below peers (0.8x the sector average) on inspection frequency. The Department of Labor also found wage violations, with $1,400 in back wages owed to 1 affected worker. For comparison, Ellensburg, City of - School District in Ellensburg, WA is another educational services employer with 0 OSHA inspections on record and $0 in current penalties.

0.5
violations per inspection
0.0%
of violations were serious
#92,988
of 99,447 penalized employers
$1,400
in back wages recovered

Compliance score

B 87/100
  • B OSHA safety compliance: 1 violation across 2 OSHA inspections (0.5 per inspection), vs. national p10 0.0 (best) / p90 5.5 (worst) among 145,626 inspected employers.
  • A Wage & hour compliance: $1K in back wages owed across 1 WHD case ($1K per case), vs. national p10 $2K (best) / p90 $58K (worst) among 91,622 employers with a WHD case on file.
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How this employer compares on OSHA penalties

Total current penalty vs the Educational Services per-employer average

in penalties

What this shows University of California Santa Cruz runs well below peers (0.17x 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

$500 Top 6% most affordable more affordable than 94% of 99,447 U.S. employers with a penalty

$0–$5,000: 43,959 U.S. employers with a penalty (44%). This entry sits in this band. $5,000–$10,000: 20,304 U.S. employers with a penalty (20%). Above this entry. $10,000–$15,000: 11,027 U.S. employers with a penalty (11%). Above this entry. $15,000–$20,000: 6,546 U.S. employers with a penalty (7%). Above this entry. $20,000–$25,000: 4,175 U.S. employers with a penalty (4%). Above this entry. $25,000–$30,000: 2,877 U.S. employers with a penalty (3%). Above this entry. $30,000–$35,000: 2,036 U.S. employers with a penalty (2%). Above this entry. $35,000–$40,000: 1,493 U.S. employers with a penalty (2%). Above this entry. $40,000–$45,000: 1,095 U.S. employers with a penalty (1%). Above this entry. $45,000–$50,000: 785 U.S. employers with a penalty (1%). Above this entry. $50,000–$55,000: 5,150 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

Does more inspection scrutiny mean more findings?

Each dot is one of 21 Educational Services employers with an OSHA inspection on record, placed by inspections and violations cited. The highlighted dot is University of California Santa Cruz.

Frequently inspected, many findingsRarely inspected, many findingsFrequently inspected, clean recordBelow median on both1.92.022.02.006.813.720.527.3OSHA inspectionsViolations citedDE ESC. APOLO SAN AN…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 14NORTH MAIN STREET SC…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 1NORTH HAVEN PUBLIC S…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 5AUGUSTA SCHOOL DEPAR…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 26SOMERSET COUNTY EMER…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 0WYANDANCH UFSD BLDGS…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 16BUFFALO CITY SCHOOL …, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 0KENMORE UFSD E SR HI…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 6GILBERTSVILLE-MOUNT …, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 9NIAGARA FALLS CSD KA…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 5DE ESCUELA ANGEL SAN…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 18PRINCE GEORGE'S COUN…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 2VIRGINIA TECH - CARP…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 8WEST ISLIP UFSD BLDG…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 9PEMBROKE CSD JR/SR H…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 3PERTH AMBOY SCHOOL D…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 8RSU 89, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 19RSU 13, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 0EAST TENNESSEE STATE…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 11TN BOARD OF REGENTS …, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 5University of Califo…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 1
University of California Santa Cruz has 2 OSHA inspections on record and 1 violation cited. The crosshair marks the median among these Educational Services peers. Across this sector's tracked employers, more inspections is moderately associated with more violations found -- not a coincidence, but not a guarantee either.

University of California Santa Cruz in the Educational Services enforcement ledger

Educational Services sector: University of California Santa Cruz is the #776 heaviest OSHA penalty carrier of 856 employers with nonzero fines ($500). WHD back-wage recoveries in this sector place University of California Santa Cruz at rank #441 of 478 employers ($1,400 owed).

Combined federal exposure here: $500 OSHA penalties plus $1,400 WHD back wages (73.7% of the combined total is wage recovery).

How University of California Santa Cruz Compares

University of California Santa Cruz's 0.50 violations per inspection compares to the Educational Services sector average of 5.7 violations per employer.

Against the Educational Services industry average of $3,025 per employer, this employer's current OSHA penalty runs well below peers (0.17x the sector average).

Enforcement detail

OSHA Inspection History

Total Inspections

2

First Inspection

2012-05-08

Last Inspection

2020-04-20

Inspection Span

8 yrs

Violations / Inspection

0.5

Avg Penalty / Inspection

$250

Industry Avg / Inspection

$1,199

What this shows 2 inspections over 8 years, averaging 0.5 violations per visit. That's $250 per inspection vs. the Educational Services average of $1,199.

Enforcement detail

Violation Breakdown

0

Serious

0.0% of total

0

Willful

0.0% of total

0

Repeat

0.0% of total

1

Other-Than-Serious

100.0% 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

$1,000

Current Penalty Amount

$500

Penalty Reduction

50.0%

Combined Impact (OSHA + WHD)

$1,900

What this shows Penalties were reduced by $500 from the initial assessment of $1,000. Reductions may result from informal settlements, formal contests, or negotiated agreements with OSHA.

Wage & Hour Findings

WHD Cases
1
Back Wages Owed
$1,400
Employees Affected
1
WHD Violations
2
Avg Back Wages per Employee
$1,400
Avg Back Wages per CaseBelow average
$1,400

The Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division found that University of California Santa Cruz owed $1,400 in back wages to 1 employee across 1 case and 2 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: Educational Services

How University of California Santa Cruz compares to the Educational Services sector, which has 3,186 employers tracked by PlainWorker.

Metric University of California Santa Cruz Industry Avg
Inspections 2 2.5
Violations 1 5.7
Total Penalty $500 $3,025
Avg Penalty per Inspection $250 $1,199
View all 3,186 employers in Educational Services →

Nationwide Educational Services peers with similar penalties or inspection counts

Two OSHA-record peer sets for University of California Santa Cruz, both outside CA so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment.

Similar current OSHA penalty

Nearest same-sector employers by current assessed penalty ($500 here).

Universidad Internacional Iberoamericana $500 PR Town of Enfield Public Schools $500 CT DE Esc Maria E Bas DE Vazquez $500 PR Milligan University $500 TN

Similar OSHA inspection count

Same-sector employers with a comparable inspection history outside this state (2 inspections here).

DE Esc. Apolo San Antonio 2 insp. Vega Alta, PR North Main Street School 2 insp. Pleasantville, NJ North Haven Public Schools 2 insp. North Haven, CT Augusta School Department 2 insp. Augusta, ME

Nearby & Similar Employers in Educational Services

Showing 5 of 3185 other employers tracked in this sector.

Columbia College Chicago
Chicago, IL
2 inspections $1,890
State of Connecticut, Department of Education
Torrington, CT
2 inspections $1,920
1 to 1 Tutors, LLC
Irving, TX
0 inspections $0
Ellensburg, City of - School District
Ellensburg, WA
0 inspections $0
Aplomb Martial Arts
Kansas City, MO
0 inspections $0

Compare University of California Santa Cruz vs Columbia College Chicago side-by-side →

What to do with this record

Use University of California Santa Cruz's enforcement history as one data point, not the whole picture.

  • A single employer's record can look unusual in isolation. Compare University of California Santa Cruz against Columbia College Chicago, a similarly-sized employer in the same sector, before drawing conclusions. Compare side-by-side
  • See whether University of California Santa Cruz's inspection and penalty record is typical for Educational Services or an outlier against the sector's own average. View the Educational Services sector
  • University of California Santa Cruz also carries $1,400 in Wage and Hour Division back-wages, a separate enforcement track from OSHA safety violations. How wage-theft enforcement works

Figures reflect closed OSHA and WHD federal enforcement actions on record (2010–2026); not every workplace issue results in an inspection or investigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is University of California Santa Cruz safe to work at? ▼
Based on OSHA records, University of California Santa Cruz's workplace safety record is relatively clean, with fewer violations than typical. The employer has 1 violations across 2 inspections. Compared to Educational Services industry peers, this is below average for penalties. Review the full inspection history below for details.
How many OSHA violations does University of California Santa Cruz have? ▼
University of California Santa Cruz has 1 OSHA violations on record, including 0 serious, 0 willful, and 0 repeat violations. The total current penalty amount is $500.
How many OSHA inspections has University of California Santa Cruz had? ▼
University of California Santa Cruz has had 2 OSHA inspections, with the first recorded on 2012-05-08 and the most recent on 2020-04-20. This averages 0.5 violations per inspection.
What is the total penalty amount for University of California Santa Cruz? ▼
University of California Santa Cruz has been assessed $500 in current OSHA penalties, reduced from an initial assessment of $1,000 (a 50.0% reduction). Additionally, $1,400 in back wages were owed through WHD enforcement.
Has University of California Santa Cruz been cited for wage theft? ▼
Yes. The Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division has recorded 1 enforcement case against University of California Santa Cruz, resulting in $1,400 in back wages owed to 1 affected worker. These cases involve violations of federal labor laws including minimum wage, overtime, and other worker protections.
What industry does University of California Santa Cruz operate in? ▼
University of California Santa Cruz operates in the Educational Services sector (NAICS code 611310). This industry has 3,186 employers tracked by PlainWorker, with 8,042 total OSHA inspections and $9.64M in cumulative penalties.
What should I do if University of California Santa Cruz owes me wages? ▼
If you believe University of California Santa Cruz 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 $1,400 in back wages owed by this employer across 1 case.
Where does University of California Santa Cruz rank nationally on OSHA penalties? ▼
Among the 99,447 U.S. employers with a nonzero current OSHA penalty in PlainWorker's corpus, University of California Santa Cruz ranks #92,988 (the lower half of penalized employers nationally). The ordinal is a live COUNT of employers with a lower total_current_penalty; see the methodology page for the exact derivation.
How does University of California Santa Cruz's safety record compare to industry average? ▼
University of California Santa Cruz's total OSHA penalty of $500 is below the Educational Services industry average of $3,025 per employer. The employer has 2 inspections compared to the industry average of 2.5 per employer. For a direct comparison, Ellensburg, City of - School District in Ellensburg, WA is a similar educational services employer with $0 in current penalties.
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.

Verify with OSHA establishment search →

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