State enforcement profile · #1 of 56 by penalties
Workplace enforcement in California
According to OSHA enforcement records (2010–2026), 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. Treat it as a benchmark to drill down from, not a verdict on the state overall.
- 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.
Where California ranks nationally
Average OSHA penalty per tracked employer, vs all 56 U.S. jurisdictions
$6,160 Top 43% most affordable more affordable than 57% of 56 U.S. jurisdictions
Each bar is a $2K-wide band; taller bars hold more U.S. jurisdictions. 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
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.
| # | Employer | Inspections | Violations | Penalty + wages |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) California City | 0 | 0 | $8.1M |
| 2 | Hewlett-Packard Palo Alto | 0 | 0 | $5.2M |
| 3 | California Cartage Company Carson | 0 | 0 | $3.6M |
| 4 | Zenefits San Francisco | 0 | 0 | $3.4M |
| 5 | LinkedIn Mountain View | 0 | 0 | $3.3M |
| 6 | Alorica Irvine | 0 | 0 | $3.2M |
| 7 | John Muir Health Walnut Creek | 5 | 5 | $2.4M |
| 8 | Munger Bros.- Empire Ranch (8 Mile Road) Stockton | 0 | 0 | $2.1M |
| 9 | First Republic Bank San Francisco | 0 | 0 | $2.0M |
| 10 | Price Transfer Compton | 0 | 0 | $2.0M |
| 11 | Lange Trucking Inc. Pleasanton | 0 | 0 | $2.0M |
| 12 | Southwest Fuel Management, Inc. Agoura Hills | 0 | 0 | $1.9M |
| 13 | CLP Skill Trade Solution Inc. Van Nuys | 0 | 0 | $1.8M |
| 14 | San Mateo County HSA Children & Family Ser. Belmont | 0 | 0 | $1.8M |
| 15 | Byton North America Santa Clara | 0 | 0 | $1.7M |
| 16 | Hewlett Packard (NASA ACES Contra)/Perspecta Palo Alto | 0 | 0 | $1.7M |
| 17 | Chevron U.S.a. INC. Richmond | 44 | 150 | $1.5M |
| 18 | Able Building Maintenance San Francisco | 0 | 0 | $1.5M |
| 19 | National Consolidated Couriers, Inc San Leandro | 0 | 0 | $1.4M |
| 20 | L&Y Food, Lotus Poultry, Moon Poultry, et al El Monte | 0 | 0 | $1.3M |
All employers in California
Nearby states by enforcement footprint
Industries in California
Enforcement and wage-compliance data broken out by industry sector within California.
Top Cities in California
The 20 cities with the most employers in the federal enforcement record within California (of 520 total).
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 →
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. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.