Quick Facts: Labor Law Posters

A brief introduction to labor law posters

Labor law posters are detailed, instructive, informative posters, which are required to provide employees with information about legislation relating to employee rights, options and responsibilities. There are currently over 2,000 labor law posters in use across the US and Canada. If you’re setting up a business, or you run a company, it’s critical to understand the regulations and rules related to displaying labor law posters. Labor law posters cover a broad spectrum of issues from wages and leave entitlement to employee benefits and discrimination.

Quick facts about labor law posters

There are state and federal regulations in place that govern the provision of labor law posters. These frequently asked questions and quick facts will provide you with information to help your business or organization understand workplace posting requirements.

Who should display labor law posters?

If you are an employer, you will need to display labor law posters. From small offices with teams of less than 10 employees to high-profile companies with thousands of workers, labor law posters are a requirement for the vast majority of businesses. There are variations between different states, so check the requirements in your state. Employers can check applicable federal posting requirements using the U.S. Department of Labor Poster Advisor. To check state regulations, visit the U.S. Department of Labor State Labor Office Contacts. There may be exemptions from some mandated federal labor law posters, depending on employer size, industry, and coverage under individual laws.

Why is it important to stay up to date with labor law poster legislation?

There are two key reasons to stay up to date with guidelines related to labor law posters. These include:

• Ensuring compliance and reducing the risk of employee complaints and federal and state penalties, including fines. Penalties vary depending on the law, violation, and applicable enforcement rules.
• Improving communications with employees and boosting wellbeing and morale: employees want to feel valued and respected and they should have access to clear information. Posters are a simple but effective means of communicating and solidifying the relationship between employers and employees.

Fast facts:

• Between 2014 and 2017, there were 46 federal and 887 state updates.
• Colorado made the most changes, with 12 updates in 2016.
• California made the most city changes, with 90 updates in 2016.
• 88% of states introduced updates in 2016.
• There were 459 city updates in 2016.

These figures represent historical labor law posting activity and should not be interpreted as current annual update statistics.

Labor law poster requirements: Ensuring compliance

It is crucial for employers to understand their workplace posting obligations to avoid penalties and provide employees with the information they need to understand federal labor law posting requirements. Every employer should be aware of the federal and state regulations that apply to their company or organization.

Required federal posters vary based on employer coverage, industry, and applicable laws. Subjects covered by workplace notices may include the Family and Medical Leave Act, occupational safety and health, equal employment opportunity, and minimum wage requirements.

Poster size, language, placement, and distribution requirements vary by notice and jurisdiction. Employers should verify the requirements applicable to each posting rather than assume that a single format satisfies every obligation.

Physical workplace postings remain important for employees working at covered locations. Electronic posting may supplement physical notices, and in certain circumstances may satisfy particular posting requirements for remote workers. Employers should review the applicable federal, state, and local rules before relying exclusively on electronic posting.

For additional information about workplace posting requirements, visit Labor Law Compliance Center.

Summary

Labor law posters are designed to provide essential information about employment laws and employee rights. Federal, state, and local posting requirements help ensure that employees have access to required workplace notices.

Employers should identify the notices applicable to their workforce, display them in the required locations and formats, and monitor changes to posting requirements. Maintaining current and accessible workplace notices is an important part of ongoing labor law compliance.