Labor law posters: How to be compliant

Labor law posters are mandated by the government and the state to be visible for all employees in the workplace. This ensures that employers and employees stay up-to-date with labor laws as well as what their obligations and rights are within the working environment. Like any federal and state laws, labor laws change continuously and for most business owners it is very difficult to know how to stay compliant with labor laws as well as the regulations regarding labor law posters. There can be quite a long list of workplace posters that have to be visible, and the internet is not always the best place to search when trying to figure out which posters need to be displayed and which ones do not. Below we answer some of the basic questions regarding labor law posters and how to stay compliant.

What are labor law posters?

Labor law posters are notices employers display in the workplace for employees. These posters contain the federal and state law pertaining to labor law rules and regulations. Posters inform employees of their obligations and rights within the working environment, it also contains information about health and safety with regards to work and their workplace. The main focus is to have all employers and employees informed of laws at all times. 

Who is required to display labor law posters?

All businesses with one or more employees have to have workplace posters on display. Companiesare required to have the most recent workplace posters on display with updated laws. Failure to display the correct federal and state law posters can lead to penalties and fines or lawsuits. All employers, businesses and companies are required to have labor law posters on display in their offices.

Where do I display labor law posters?

The labor law posters have to be displayed in a frequently visited space within the workplace like a canteen. Companies are required to send digital companies of these laws to employees working remotely. Many have asked if labour law posters can be kept in a binder in the office available for all employees to access, the answer is – no. posters have to be on display as described above.

Are my labour law posters current and compliant?

What makes compliance so difficult when it comes to labor law posters is that there are many differentiations of posters and rules. The factors to keep in mind when thinking of labor law posters is that each is different as per state rules. Where the company is located would determine what laws are applicable and what posters should be on display. Another factor is their type of business or industry, this will also change which labor law posters have to be displayed. The third would be the amount of employees working for the company that can also differentiate between needed posters.

Some posters will be needed by all and are very common in almost all industries and states. These posters contain provisions of laws like The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) which regulates how many leave days parents may take, The Fair Labour Standards Act that regulates minimum wages and overtime pay rules, The Occupational Safety and Health Act that informs employees of what safety regulations are, as well as the Equal Employment Opportunity rules that stipulates the grounds employers may not discriminate on when hiring new employees.

Unfortunately, the internet is not the best place to make sure that a company is compliant with federal and state laws pertaining to labor law posters. The best way to know if labor law posters are current and compliant is to speak to companies that specialise in labor law compliance. Most of these companies have already done the research and can give exact answers as well as compilation of which posters need to be on display. This method is best in saving time.

Final thought

Businesses have to ensure that they stay compliant with the law at all times. Having measures in place that protect the employers as well as employees like workplace posters are essential. TRUiC provides a tool on their website where business owners can find the right labor law posters which are downloadable and printable.