Taco Bell employees can file Cal/OSHA safety complaints in California

Under California law, Taco Bell employees have a statutory right to report unsafe conditions to Cal/OSHA and to have their identity protected while doing so. “The California Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1973 gives all workers the right to file a workplace safety and health hazards complaint with Cal/OSHA, without fear of retaliation by their employer.” That protection applies regardless of immigration status.

Cal/OSHA keeps complainant identities confidential. “The name of any person who submits a complaint to Cal/OSHA must be kept confidential by law, unless the person requests otherwise.” Employees should know, however, that anonymity can limit follow-up and the depth of an investigation. “A formal complaint ensures a more thorough response from Cal/OSHA and helps to involve workers in the investigation.” “Anonymity can make it harder for a worker organization to coordinate with Cal/OSHA, and can make it a non-formal complaint.”

There are multiple ways to file. Call intake during business hours: “Call the Cal/OSHA Enforcement District Office closest to your worksite between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, except state holidays (see the map on the back). Your call will be answered in English. If you need to speak with a representative in Spanish or any other language, you may request an interpreter and hold until the interpreter joins the call. This may take a few minutes, so please stay on the line. When requesting an interpreter, please inform us how to say the name of your language in English.” You can also report by phone or email: “You can report workplace health and safety problems by phone or email • Locate the Cal/OSHA office closest to your worksite by entering your zip code on the Cal/OSHA website, complaint.htm, or by calling 1-844-522-6734. • Then call or email the local Cal/OSHA office.” The statewide toll-free intake number is 1-844-522-6734.

Specialized local units can be reached directly for certain hazards. Region 5 Mining & Tunneling Unit: (818) 901-5420. Region 6 High Hazard Unit and Labor Enforcement Task Force: (714) 558-4415. HHU North: (510) 622-3015. HHU South: (714) 567-7100. LETF North: (916) 263-4185. LETF South: (714) 558-4120. Region 7 Process Safety Management Unit North: (925) 602-2665; South: (714) 558-4600.

Prepare before you call. Share the workplace name, address and phone number, type of business, and manager name and hours. Be ready to describe the hazard in detail and its exact location, operations, equipment, machinery or chemicals involved, and how many workers and languages are affected. The guidance lists what to share exactly: “Workplace information, including, business name, address and telephone number of the worksite.” “Type of business.” “Name and job title of the manager at the worksite, and their work hours.” “Your name, address, telephone number, and email address. By law, Cal/OSHA keeps this information confidential, unless you request otherwise. You are not required to provide this information, but if you do, Cal/OSHA will be able to follow up with you if there are questions and provide the results of the inspection or investigation.” “Detailed description of the hazard.” “Specific location of the hazard, if the worksite is large.” “Operations, equipment, machinery, and chemicals used at the worksite.” Photographs, drawings and worker testimony help; “Be sure to blur the faces, or any identifying features, of co-workers to help protect against retaliation.”

Cal/OSHA will investigate complaints and can inspect worksites when violations or imminent hazards are reported. “Cal/OSHA will investigate or inspect a workplace if workers file complaints of unsafe conditions or violations of health and safety standards.” Association guidance notes there is no single required form: “Is there a specific form I must use? No, there is no specific Cal/OSHA form that must be used to file a complaint. On Cal/OSHA’s complaint webpage, there is a phone number that can be used to make a complaint by phone, but we recommend all complaints be submitted in writing.” CTA also advises chapters to try resolving issues with employers first when practical and to focus complaints on the most serious hazards: “Complaints typically should focus on no more than 3 or 4 issues.” CTA cautions that Cal/OSHA has limited staff and that response times and operations may be impacted.

For Taco Bell crew and shift leads, the practical steps are clear: document hazards, collect photos and witness accounts while protecting identities, involve a union or community organization if available, and choose a formal complaint when possible for stronger follow-up. Expect some delay in inspections, but file when a condition is unsafe or imminent. This gives workers a direct route to request enforcement and creates a record that can change conditions on the line and in the kitchen.