Labor law posters inform employees of important federal and state employment laws, such as minimum wage, workplace safety standards, and paid leave entitlements. Generally, employers must display labor law posters conspicuously in the workplace where employees can easily view them, often in a breakroom or cafeteria.
Whether private or public, small or large, one office or 500 offices, in-person or remote, all businesses must comply with labor law posting mandates. Though most employers are aware of posting requirements, some ignore them or fail to update posters as necessary. The recent increase in fines for violations indicates that the federal Department of Labor (DOL) has labor law posting compliance on its radar.
The DOL recently increased the maximum fines for several federal labor laws, including:
- Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) – Increased to $216
- Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) – Increased to $16,550
- Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) – Increased to $26,262
The new penalties are effective as of January 15, 2025.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is expected to announce an increase in the fine for failing to display the Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal poster. The current fine is $680 per violation.
The combined fines for just these violations are more than $40,000. Add on state and local posting fines, and you’re faced with a heavy financial burden. While costly violations should be enough to encourage employers to adhere to posting mandates, consider the employee-centered consequences. Failure to display labor law posters can contribute to workplace disputes, legal complaints, and a lack of trust between employers and employees.
Avoiding Penalties and Fines
Posting requirements vary by law. Employers must know which federal and state statutes apply to them and understand their responsibilities to display certain posters under the law. The DOL’s elaws Poster Advisorcan be used to determine which federal labor law posters must be displayed in the workplace. Many posters may be downloaded free of charge and printed directly from the DOL’s website. Employers should also consider state-specific labor law posting requirements, which may be available on the state’s labor department website. Make sure you know every labor law that applies to your business and the posting mandates of each one.
With so many federal and state labor laws to track, it’s easy to overlook posting one at each worksite or forget to check for updates regularly. Consider a reliable and trusted compliance service company to provide accurate, current labor law posters. Automating your compliance needs ensures all your business locations receive new posters as they’re updated, keeping you in full compliance and avoiding costly penalties.
Prioritize Your Poster Compliance
Staying vigilant in your labor law poster compliance is imperative to avoid fines and labor disputes. Consider these tips:
- Know every labor law that applies to your business and each one’s posting mandates.
- Review posters annually to ensure the most up-to-date posters are displayed.
- Ensure posters are displayed in a prominent area where employees can easily view them.
- A reliable compliance service like LaborLawCenter can help you stay up-to-date with labor law changes and posting requirements.
How LaborLawCenter Can Help
It’s more important than ever to adhere to labor law posting mandates. LaborLawCenter offers comprehensive labor law posters and compliance services to businesses of all sizes. Our Automatic Labor Law Replacement Service ensures you never have to worry about compliance updates again. We are so confident in our ability to serve you that our Compliance Protection Plan will reimburse you for labor law posting fines if you receive a noncompliant poster. With a compliance and satisfaction guarantee, we are committed to being your partner in workplace labor law compliance.
