Guide to Labor Law Posters

Every American business with three or more employees must display employee information posters required by federal and state law. Exactly which posters your business must display, and precisely where and how they must be posted, varies by industry, the number of employees, your state and other factors.

Three things you need to know:

1. Compliance matters. There are hefty fines and other penalties for failing to post.
2. Most posters inform employees about their rights and procedures related to health and safety, minimum wages, workers compensation and Equal Opportunity.
3. Posting laws change often; for example, 40 percent of states change their posting requirements each year. Ongoing compliance demands vigilance.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Know which posters you need

Poster rules are no secret. These resources will tell you what you need.

I recommend: Review the official table of federal poster rules for small business or consult the companion Poster Advisor tool. The Poster Advisor will generate a customized list of links to federal posters required for companies of your size and industry, plus other links to federal labor resources recommended for companies like yours.

Don't forget about your state requirements

Each state has its own poster laws for state-controlled labor issues such as minimum wage or unemployment insurance.

I recommend: Follow the links provided by the U.S. Department of Labor to visit your state's labor offices, or consult a poster vendor, many of which, like this one from HRdocs.com, provide free links to lists of state requirements. The Interstate Labor Standards Association maintains a complete list of state labor contacts and Web sites.

Check for industry-specific requirements

Companies in some industries fall under laws requiring still more posters For example, those doing government construction must post signs related to the Davis-Bacon Act (which governs minimum wages for construction workers) and real-estate-related companies must post the Fair Housing poster.

I recommend: Start by getting workers comp compliance assistance from the Department of Labor. See the Labor Law Center's Specialty Posters list, and read and post on its labor-related forums to consult experts and peers about any special posting requirements for your industry.

Purchase posters or download the ones you need for free

Posters are available from multiple sources, each with its own advantages.

I recommend: You can download federal posters, each formatted for letter-size paper, free from the Department of Labor's official table of federal posters or by emailing the U.S. Department of Labor at OSBP@dol.gov. Most states also offer their posters free for downloading from their Labor Department Web sites. Non-government vendors charge for their posters, but often offer additional benefits, such as lamination or space-saving designs. Try Business Know-How or GovDocs.com for an "all-in-one" format that combines all federal and state posters into a single, laminated poster. If you order printed posters, make sure to buy enough posters to post in every location required.

Post by the rules

Posting in the right place is as important as using the right poster. Posters have different posting requirements, although most federal posters must appear in a place employees visit daily (such as near the time clock or in the break room) and in a place where job applicants can see them as well. If you buy an "all-in-one" poster, you must post it everywhere any of the incorporated posters is required.

I recommend: Follow the instructions supplied on the poster download site of your choice, above, or that accompany the posters shipped from a vendor. If you're not sure how to post, email the U.S. Department of Labor at OSBP@dol.gov or visit their website at DOL.gov.

To keep compliant, keep current

State-required labor law posters change more often than federal posters, but all change now and then.

I recommend: Sign up for Business KnowHow's free Update Notification Service, which emails you whenever posting laws change, or for a fee-based service from GovDocs.com that automatically emails you updated electronic versions of your posters whenever the law changes them.

Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• Employers must post state and federal minimum wage posters even if no employees are paid minimum wage.
• If you operate in multiple states, in each site you must post the state posters for that state.
• Lamination is important in dirty or damp workplaces — damaged signs may not be compliant.
• Some vendors guarantee their posters' compliance, including a promise to reimburse any fines incurred if their signs are properly posted but judged non-compliant.

The official source of Labor Law Posters is
the Labor and Employment Law Posters page at Business.com