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\nSummary.<\/b> While it may seem antiquated to post posters on the wall of your workplace, it\u2019s a way for the Department of Labor to be sure that employees have access to the information that\u2019s required by law. Most of the posters are sparse and draw attention to themselves as a way to be sure that they get seen.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n
This article covers the federal requirements for posters to be put up in the workplace. Some references are made to industry-specific or state-specific posters, but you\u2019ll need to check with your state labor laws to be sure about all the posters needed in your state and industry.<\/p>\n
Key Takeaways:<\/b><\/p>\n
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The Department of Labor requires that posters explaining employees\u2019 rights and requisite labor laws must be posted in an easily visible location.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
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The majority of posters only need to be posted in English, though translations in other languages can be obtained from the Department of Labor. The exception is the explanation of the FMLA poster.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
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Failure to comply with the law will likely result in a citation, with the severity depending on which notice you failed to post. Though it\u2019s usually only issued if there’s a failure to correct the problem.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
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You can also post informational, inspirational, or safety-focused posters in your workplace.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
What Are Workplace Posters?<\/h2>\n
To state the obvious, workplace posters are posters that are put up in the workplace. Posters of this sort are important because federal law requires that employers apprise employees of their rights. That means that there are a set number of posters that must be displayed in an easily visible location in the workplace.<\/p>\n
In addition to this are various other optional posters. These can be posters promoting teamwork<\/a>, safety, or other values that are important to the company\u2019s culture. They can also be used as decoration, as many inspirational posters will also have an attractive background.<\/p>\n
\n\n\nGet Started Hiring Now<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nPost A Job<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nMandatory Workplace Posters<\/h2>\n
There are several notices that you have to make sure are easily visible to employees. This usually ends up translating to putting a poster up in the breakroom. This will, of course, depend on the workplace and what sort of work the employees do there, as not all are required to be posted in every workplace<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Here are the posters that the Department of Labor requires to be hung up in the workplace.<\/p>\n
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Employee rights under the Fair Labor Standards Act.<\/b> This poster shows the federal minimum wage and explains other fair labor standards, such as provisions against child labor, requirements for overtime pay<\/a>, and recordkeeping standards.<\/p>\n
In certain industries, such as agriculture, there are industry-specific posters that may be posted instead.<\/p>\n
This poster doesn’t need to be posted in a language other than English, though it\u2019s recommended if a lot of your workforce speaks a different language.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
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Occupational Safety and Health Act.<\/b> This is the poster that starts with \u201cjob safety and health: it\u2019s the law.\u201d The text covers OSHA requirements as well as other laws regarding employee health and safety.<\/p>\n
This poster isn\u2019t required to be posted in any other language than English, though it is recommended if a large number of your workforce speaks a different language. Some states have their own versions of this poster, which may need to be posted in addition to or in place of the federal one.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
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Employee rights and responsibilities under the Family and Medical Leave Act.<\/b> This poster covers employees\u2019 rights under the aegis of this law. Workers are entitled to leave to care for a family member\u2019s or their own health. They must be able to return to the same or equivalent position when they return to work. It also covers maternity leave<\/a>.<\/p>\n
FMLA requires that employees have a certain number of employees before being subject to this act. If you employ fewer than that number, you aren\u2019t going to be required to post this notice.<\/p>\n
Unlike the previous posters, this notice is required to be posted in a language besides English if a large number of your employees have another language that they prefer.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
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Workplace discrimination.<\/b> This poster usually starts with \u201cknow your rights: workplace discrimination is illegal.\u201d It lays out that discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, or disability is illegal. It also lays out the employee’s rights and who they can report the discrimination to on the poster.<\/p>\n
Only those who work for the government or with government contracts or government saving bonds are required to post this notice.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
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Pay transparency nondiscrimination provision.<\/b> This outlines an employee\u2019s rights to discuss pay. It states that employers aren\u2019t allowed to punish employees who discuss, inquire about, or disclose their own pay or that of another employee or applicant.<\/p>\n
However, those who have access to pay information can\u2019t disclose it without a formal or legal reason. For example, members of the HR<\/a> department or payroll department can\u2019t disclose someone\u2019s pay information unless there\u2019s a valid legal or investigatory reason.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
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Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act notice.<\/b> This explains the rights that migrant and seasonal workers have in agriculture. As implied by the name, only those businesses that deal with agriculture are required to post this information. Failure to post the information can result in a monetary penalty.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
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Employee rights for workers with disabilities are paid at special minimum wages.<\/b> Under certain conditions, workers with disabilities may be paid below the minimum wage. However, employers must inform them and, if applicable, their parent or guardian of this both orally and in writing.<\/p>\n
If the employer has employees of this nature, then they must also post this notice. The Department of Labor has posters in Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Tai, Hmong, Korean and Vietnamese. However, it isn\u2019t required to post it in any other language than English.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
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Employee polygraph protection act notice.<\/b> This poster explains how employees can\u2019t be interviewed or questioned with a polygraph test.<\/p>\n
Any employer whose business is in commerce or goods produced for the purpose of commerce is required to post this notice. The penalties for failing to post this are steep, as the Department of Labor can bring a court action.<\/p>\n
Local, state, and federal governments are exempt from this, as are situations that are covered by the national defense and security exemption.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
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Your rights under USERRA.<\/b> The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act\u2019s purpose is to protect the jobs of service members called into active duty.<\/p>\n
That would include National Guardsmen and reserve members. As they aren’t on active duty, they will have civilian careers that can be negatively impacted by being called into active duty.<\/p>\n
This notice doesn\u2019t need to be posted with other notices. It does need to be supplied to employees, but it may be done either through mailing, including it in the handbook, or via email.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
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Employee rights under the H-2A Program.<\/b> This is another law that is directly related to agriculture. Only those who hire temporary agricultural workers under H-2A visas are required to post this notice.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
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Notice to all employees working on federal or federally financed construction projects.<\/b> The Davis-Bacon act requires that this poster be put up if you\u2019re a contractor<\/a> or subcontractor engaged in a contract in excess of $2,000. However, the payment must be for the actual construction, alteration, or repair of a public building.<\/p>\n
As stated in the name of the notice, this only applies if the payment is from a federal source. It doesn’t need to be wholly financed from federal funds, but some part of the funding does need to come from the federal government for this to be relevant.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Optional Workplace Posters<\/h2>\n
There are countless types of posters that can be posted in the workplace. Once the required posters are put up, whether you choose to post any more is up to your discretion. Most posters of these types fall into three categories:<\/p>\n
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Informational.<\/b> Some postings or posters give additional information on the workplace, machinery, or general rules. These posters are usually related to a particular aspect of the business or explain how something operates.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
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Safety.<\/b> Many workplaces have additional safety posters. Such as the best-known: days without accidents posters. Others will mention safety being important and have some guidelines to remain safe in the workplace.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
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