State enforcement profile · #1 of 56 by penalties
Workplace enforcement in California
California has 19,302 employers in the federal enforcement record, with 35,165 OSHA inspections and $116.0M in penalties assessed. The state's Wage and Hour Division has recovered $283.1M in back wages across 7,714 enforcement cases.
- 19,302
- Employers
- 35,165
- Inspections
- $116.0M
- OSHA penalties
- $283.1M
- Back wages
The state in one line
California ranks #1 of 56 U.S. jurisdictions by total OSHA penalties, with 60,999 violations cited across 35,165 inspections and $283.1M in wages recovered for workers.
- #1
- of 56 states by penalties
- 1.73
- violations per inspection
- $6K
- avg penalty per employer
- 7,714
- WHD wage-theft cases
What the data says about California
Federal workplace enforcement in California covers 19,302 employers with 35,165 total OSHA inspections on record. Inspectors documented 60,999 violations statewide, yielding 1.73 violations per inspection on average. OSHA has assessed $116.0M 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 $283.1M in back wages across 7,714 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 violators in California
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.