Starting July 1, 2025, thousands of domestic service workers across California gained critical workplace safety protections under a new law.
With the new law, domestic workers employed by companies in California—including housecleaners, caregivers, and gardeners—are now covered by state workplace safety and health laws. Until now, these laws did not cover individuals performing household domestic work, leaving a significant gap in coverage that has finally been addressed.
As Cal/OSHA Chief Debra Lee stated: “Domestic workers take on some of the hardest jobs—caring for our loved ones, cleaning our homes, and supporting our daily lives. They deserve the same protections as any other worker. It’s only right that we care for those who care for us.”
Senate Bill 1350, signed into law by Governor Newsom in 2024, represents this historic change by extending California’s Occupational Safety and Health Act (Cal/OSHA) protections to cover many domestic service workers for the first time.
Who Is Now Protected?
SB 1350 extends workplace safety protections to workers employed by businesses that provide household domestic services. This includes many workers employed by:
- Housecleaning companies (including those operated by “route owners”)
- Homecare agencies
- Residential landscaping and gardening companies
The law also extends protections to certain workers employed directly by private households in specific circumstances, particularly when the work goes beyond ordinary household domestic tasks.
When Private Households May Be Covered
Private households that directly hire workers may now be subject to Cal/OSHA regulations when the work performed extends beyond “ordinary household domestic tasks.” The California Department of Industrial Relations provides some examples of work that may bring private households under Cal/OSHA coverage in its interpretation of the law:
- Exterior house painting
- Re-roofing projects
- Home construction or remodeling (such as adding rooms or building accessory dwelling units)
- Pool maintenance requiring a license (work on pumps, filters, heaters, or electrical components)
- Mold and fire remediation and cleanup
Importantly, the California Department of Industrial Relations may consider a homeowner an employer under Cal/OSHA regulations if the homeowner hires an individual to perform work that requires a contractor’s license but that individual does not have the required license.
What Protections Does This Provide?
Under California’s workplace safety laws, employers now have specific responsibilities to provide safe working conditions for covered domestic service workers, including:
Injury and Illness Prevention Programs (IIPP): Employers must establish, implement, and maintain effective safety programs that include procedures for identifying workplace hazards, methods for correcting those hazards, and training for employees on safe work practices.
Safe Tools and Equipment: Employers must ensure workers have access to safe, properly maintained tools and equipment necessary for their work.
Personal Protective Equipment: When required by law, employers must provide and pay for personal protective equipment (PPE).
Hazard Communication: Employers must use appropriate signs and labels to warn workers of workplace hazards.
Immediate Reporting: Serious workplace injuries or fatalities must be reported immediately to Cal/OSHA.
Training: Workers have the right to receive training on workplace hazards, safety procedures, and their rights under the law.
Worker Rights Under the New Law
Covered domestic service workers now have important legal rights, including:
- Safe and healthful working conditions
- Training on workplace hazards and worker rights
- Access to information about safety standards, injuries, and hazards
- The right to request correction of unsafe conditions
- Protection from retaliation for reporting safety violations
- The right to file complaints with Cal/OSHA
Protection Against Retaliation
The law includes strong anti-retaliation protections. It is illegal for employers to threaten, fire, demote, or suspend workers for:
- Reporting hazards to their employer
- Filing complaints with Cal/OSHA
- Refusing to work under unsafe conditions
- Participating in Cal/OSHA investigations
Exceptions
The law includes some exceptions, such as
- Work that is publicly funded, including In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS)
- Work performed in licensed family daycare homes
- As already mentioned, individual homeowners or renters who directly hire workers to perform typical household tasks (housecleaning, cooking, caregiving, or routine gardening) are generally not considered employers under the law and may be excluded from these requirements
What This Means for Workers
For many domestic service workers, this represents the first time their workplaces will be subject to comprehensive safety regulations. These workplace safety and health protections now allow Cal/OSHA to enforce regulations for covered employers in the domestic services industry, including requirements for safe tools and equipment, hazard training, and protections against unsafe working conditions.
If you believe you may be covered under these new protections and have experienced workplace safety violations, unsafe conditions, or retaliation for raising safety concerns, consulting with an experienced employment attorney can help you understand your rights and potential legal remedies.
Note: This blog post provides general information about SB 1350 and worker rights. Specific circumstances may affect how the law applies to individual situations. For more details, consider consulting an attorney.