Worker resources: California
Where to get medical help, how to report an unsafe shop, how to claim workers’ compensation, and who offers free legal aid. Nothing here costs money and no one on this list pays this site.
Esta página en español: recursos para trabajadores.
Three things to know first
- You have the right to a safe workplace regardless of immigration status, and retaliation for reporting hazards is unlawful in California. Cal/OSHA complaints can be anonymous.
- Dry cutting of artificial stone is now illegal in California (SB 20, in force since 1 January 2026), and shops must use wet methods and follow the Cal/OSHA silica standard. See the regulation register.
- Silicosis cannot be cured, but its progression can be slowed and its complications treated, so early detection matters. If you have worked with engineered stone for any length of time and have a cough, breathlessness, chest tightness, weight loss or fatigue, get a chest CT. See symptoms.
If you are sick or worried about your lungs
Silicosis is often misdiagnosed as pneumonia or tuberculosis. Tell any doctor that you have cut, ground or polished stone, and ask for a chest CT if you have symptoms.
| Resource | What it offers | Languages |
|---|---|---|
| American Lung Association: silicosis United States | Patient-facing overview of silicosis symptoms, diagnosis and treatment, plus the Lung HelpLine. | English, Spanish |
| American Thoracic Society patient information United States | Plain-language patient education series on lung diseases from the professional society for respiratory physicians. | English |
Reporting an unsafe shop or a diagnosis
Cal/OSHA complaints can be made anonymously. Health care providers must now report silicosis to the local health department within seven days.
| Resource | What it offers | Languages |
|---|---|---|
| California Division of Workers' Compensation California | How to file a workers' compensation claim for an occupational disease, information and assistance officers, and the Uninsured Employers Benefits Trust Fund. Same network limitation as Cal/OSHA. | English, Spanish |
| Cal/OSHA (Division of Occupational Safety and Health) California | Workplace safety complaints (which can be filed anonymously), the silica standard, and enforcement. Retaliation for reporting is unlawful under California law. dir.ca.gov refuses connections from outside the United States, so this project could not fetch it; the address is the division's long-standing root. | English, Spanish |
| California Department of Public Health, Occupational Health Branch: silicosis California | Information on engineered-stone silicosis, the surveillance dashboard, materials for workers and providers. Case reports and questions: silicosis@cdph.ca.gov. CDPH pages are reachable; the specific silicosis landing path was not fetched by this project, so the link may redirect. | English, Spanish |
| NIOSH: silica and worker health United States | Federal occupational-health guidance on silica, including the 2026 countertop hazard alert. | English |
| OSHA: crystalline silica United States | The federal silica standard, worker rights, and how to file a federal complaint outside California. osha.gov blocks automated fetches; root path is well established. | English, Spanish |
Workers’ compensation and free legal help
Workers’ compensation does not depend on immigration status. For a lawsuit against a manufacturer, see finding an attorney.
| Resource | What it offers | Languages |
|---|---|---|
| State Bar of California: certified lawyer referral services California | List of State Bar-certified lawyer referral services. See also this site's finding-an-attorney page. | English, Spanish |
| LawHelpCA California | Directory of free and low-cost legal aid organisations by county and topic, including workers' rights and immigration. Refused connections from this project's network; long-standing address. | English, Spanish |
Training, worker centres and advocacy
University programmes and worker organisations offer Spanish-language training and know-your-rights materials.
| Resource | What it offers | Languages |
|---|---|---|
| UC Berkeley Labor Occupational Health Program (LOHP) Northern California | Worker health and safety training and educational materials. | English, Spanish |
| UCLA Labor Occupational Safety and Health Program (LOSH) Southern California | Worker health and safety training and outreach, including Spanish-language materials for Los Angeles workers. | English, Spanish |
| Worksafe California | California worker health and safety advocacy organisation; legal information on workers' rights. Advocacy organisation (Tier 3 for factual claims). | English, Spanish |
Suing a manufacturer
Workers’ compensation covers medical care and part of lost wages from an employer. A separate product-liability lawsuit against the makers and sellers of the stone is what the cases in the litigation tracker are. Those cases are time-limited and fact-specific. This site does not take claims or refer to lawyers; finding an attorney explains how to reach a licensed lawyer directly and what to ask.
About this directory
Entries are public agencies, university programmes, non-profit legal-aid directories and professional medical bodies. No one listed has paid for inclusion and no one is recommended over another. Some official California sites cannot be reached from this project's network, so their links point to well-established root addresses and are marked in the notes; if a link is broken, tell the editor. This page is general information, not legal or medical advice.