DATE:
March 24, 2026
22
TO:
Board of Supervisors
SUBJECT
Title
ENHANCED PROTECTIONS FOR OUTDOOR CEMETERY WORKERS (DISTRICTS: ALL)
Body
OVERVIEW
San Diego families turn to the cemetery industry in their most difficult moments. They trust the deceased will be treated with professionalism and their burial rites and traditions will be properly observed. Burial mistakes, negligence or malfeasance profoundly offend the bereaved and often wind up in court. Too often this is a consequence of the private cemetery industry putting families' peace of mind at risk through low-road employment practices for the outdoor cemetery workers who inter bodies, install headstones, and maintain the grounds.
The labor practices of private cemeteries in California have come under increasing scrutiny for allegations of negligence and abuse. Rose Hills Cemetery, a 1,400 acre property in Whittier, faces a $15 million class action lawsuit alleging wage theft and denial of legally-required meal and rest breaks. The Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles recently settled a $2.5 million case involving similar accusations, including unpaid overtime.i Poor wages and working conditions show up in the recruitment challenges facing the private cemetery industry. A 2024 survey by the National Funeral Directors Association found that recruiting qualified personnel was the industry's top challenge, while profitability placed fourth.ii
By cutting corners with their outdoor workers, private cemeteries increase the likelihood of incidents that undermine dignity in death. Greenwood Memorial Park and Mortuary in San Diego disclosed in 2023 that it misplaced the remains of Sidney Cooper, a black businessman who popularized Juneteenth in San Diego.iii The Forest Lawn Cemetery in the Hollywood Hills was sued last year when the family learned their mother's headstone had been placed over the wrong burial plot.iv In egregious cases, cemetery management takes advantage of groundskeepers' economic preca...
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