Question: I heard that a new law passed recently which expanded the rules and regulations that apply to domestic workers, like housecleaners and gardeners. Is this true? What does this new law mean?
Answer: Yes, there is a new law effective July 1. In 2024, the Governor signed Senate Bill 1350 (“SB 1350”) into law, which became effective this month on July 1, 2025. SB 1350 expands the protections of the California Occupational Safety and Health Act (“Cal/OSHA”) to certain household domestic workers, including those employed by private households. Household domestic workers include landscapers and housecleaners.
Cal/OSHA is the state agency responsible for enforcing worker safety and health standards. The agency’s responsibilities include conducting workplace inspections to ensure compliance with health and safety regulations. Cal/OSHA’s jurisdiction applies only to a “place of employment.” Historically, household domestic services were excluded from this term, which meant that those services were exempt from Cal/OSHA’s jurisdiction. SB 1350 now eliminates this exemption.
This means that if a business employs household domestic service workers—whether on a temporary or permanent basis—it must comply with Cal/OSHA regulations and provide these employees with a safe workplace. Businesses that are covered by SB 1350 include homecare agencies, residential landscaping and gardening companies, and housecleaning companies. SB 1350 also applies to third-party agencies.
Notably, SB 1350 also applies to private households that directly employ workers to perform work other than “ordinary household domestic tasks.” “Ordinary household domestic tasks” include housecleaning, cooking, caregiving, and routine gardening services. Examples of covered tasks under SB 1350 include painting, roofing, home construction, and pool maintenance work. SB 1350 does not, however, apply to independent contractors, certain publicly funded in-home support services, or work in a licensed family day care home.
In practice, SB 1350 creates several new obligations for employers of household domestic workers to comply with Cal/OSHA regulations. For example, employers must inspect their workplaces to identify and correct potential hazards, which can include the placement of hazard signs and labels. Employers must also provide their employees with safe tools and personal protective equipment, at the employer’s expense. Additionally, employers must establish, implement, and maintain an effective injury and illness prevention program (“IIPP”).
SB 1350 also grants household domestic workers additional rights under Cal/OSHA regulations. Employees have a right to receive training on workplace hazards and to ask their employers to correct existing workplace hazards or unsafe conditions. Employees may also file a complaint directly with Cal/OSHA regarding potential workplace safety violations, which can result in Cal/OSHA workplace inspections or an investigation by the Department of Industrial Relations (“DIR”). Lastly, household domestic workers are now entitled to protections against retaliation for reporting unsafe working conditions, filing a complaint with Cal/OSHA or participating in a Cal/OSHA investigation, or simply refusing to work under unsafe working conditions.
Overall, SB 1350 creates significant new legal obligations for employers of household domestic workers. Given the large number of businesses in our community that employ workers who are potentially covered by SB 1350, local employers should consult with their employment counsel to ensure compliance with this new law.