State enforcement profile · #1 of 56 by penalties
Workplace enforcement in California
California has 19,733 employers in the federal enforcement record, with 36,301 OSHA inspections and $121.6M in penalties assessed. The state's Wage and Hour Division has recovered $285.8M in back wages across 7,768 enforcement cases.
- 19,733
- Employers
- 36,301
- Inspections
- $121.6M
- OSHA penalties
- $285.8M
- Back wages
The state in one line
California ranks #1 of 56 U.S. jurisdictions by total OSHA penalties, with 62,917 violations cited across 36,301 inspections and $285.8M in wages recovered for workers.
- #1
- of 56 states by penalties
- 1.73
- violations per inspection
- $6K
- avg penalty per employer
- 7,768
- WHD wage-theft cases
What to check next
California's enforcement record is one jurisdiction in a national pattern, compare it before you draw conclusions.
- California averages 1.73 violations per inspection, at or below the 2.21 national average across 56 states.
- See California's single worst-cited employer in full detail. Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) record
- Compare California against a similarly-sized state by employer count. Texas record
- Put two employers head-to-head on inspections, penalties, and back wages. Compare employers
What the data says about California
Federal workplace enforcement in California covers 19,733 employers with 36,301 total OSHA inspections on record. Inspectors documented 62,917 violations statewide, yielding 1.73 violations per inspection on average. OSHA has assessed $121.6M in penalties against employers in the state, averaging $6K per tracked employer.
The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) adds a separate enforcement layer, recovering $285.8M in back wages across 7,768 cases - an average of $37K per case. Combined OSHA and WHD enforcement activity gives workers, journalists, and researchers a verifiable record of which employers have been cited and which workplaces regulators have prioritized.
The employers listed on this page represent workplaces with at least two OSHA inspections or $1,000 or more in WHD back wages owed. Data is sourced directly from data.dol.gov. Penalty figures are current assessed amounts, reflecting any settlements, informal conference reductions, or formal contest outcomes. Click any employer below to view their full inspection history, violation breakdown by severity, and wage-compliance record.
Top OSHA & wage enforcement actions in California
Ranked by combined OSHA penalties and DOL Wage & Hour Division back wages. Some employers below have wage-theft cases with zero OSHA safety violations, or vice versa; check the Inspections/Violations columns before drawing safety conclusions.
All employers in California
Nearby states by enforcement footprint
Source: OSHA Enforcement Data, U.S. Department of Labor · Verify with OSHA establishment search →
Source: Wage & Hour Division Compliance Actions, U.S. Department of Labor · DOL WHD data →
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.