California Code § 1597.622(a)(1): Family Daycare Immunization

California Health & Safety regulation 1597.622(a)(1) requires all family day care home employees and volunteers to be immunized against three specific diseases: influenza (flu), pertussis (whooping cough), and measles. This means anyone who works or volunteers at your family day care - whether they're paid staff or unpaid helpers - must have current vaccinations for all three diseases. The flu shot is unique because it must be renewed annually between August 1 and December 1, while pertussis and measles immunizations follow standard vaccine schedules.

As of November 23, 2025, 72 facilities have been cited for this violation in the past 90 days, affecting 18 counties across California. This represents about 0.95% of inspected facilities, or roughly 1 in 105 family day care homes visited. Los Angeles County leads with 30 citations, followed by Riverside County with 11, and San Diego and Santa Clara counties with 5 each. While not the most common citation, it affects nearly 1% of facilities during inspections - making it a compliance issue worth taking seriously.

Inspectors cite this regulation when they find staff or volunteers working without proof of required immunizations. The most common trigger is missing or expired flu vaccinations after December 1 - if someone didn't get their annual flu shot during the August-December window, that's an automatic citation. Other triggers include new volunteers who start helping out without providing immunization records (many providers don't realize volunteers need vaccines too), employees missing pertussis or measles vaccines, and incomplete personnel files that don't document vaccination status. Inspectors will ask to see immunization records for every person who provides care or supervision, so missing documentation for even one person can result in a citation.

Schedule everyone's flu shots in September when supply is good and before the December 1 deadline - many pharmacies offer group rates for small businesses, so it's worth asking. Keep a master immunization tracking sheet that lists every employee and volunteer with their flu shot dates, pertussis/Tdap dates, and measles/MMR dates. Set a calendar reminder in early August to send everyone their flu shot reminder, and follow up in October with anyone who hasn't gotten it yet. For new hires or volunteers, make immunization documentation part of your onboarding checklist - don't let anyone start working until you have their vaccine records in their personnel file. Remember that medical exemptions require a written statement from a licensed physician, not just a verbal claim.

Immediately identify which staff members or volunteers are missing which vaccines and schedule their immunizations within days, not weeks. For flu shots during the August-December window, most pharmacies can provide same-day or next-day appointments. For pertussis or measles vaccines, contact the employee's doctor or a local pharmacy. Document all vaccination appointments and obtain written proof of immunization (the actual vaccination record card or a signed form from the provider). Submit your Plan of Correction to the licensing office showing the dates vaccinations were completed and include copies of the new immunization records. If you have staff who cannot be vaccinated due to medical reasons, obtain written exemption documentation from their physician immediately. Follow up with your licensing worker to confirm your POC has been accepted - typical correction timelines are 30-60 days depending on the severity.