Running a retail store takes a lot of multi-tasking and management to make everything work smoothly. Regardless of whether you run a clothing store, a gift shop, an art gallery, a book store, an automotive supply shop, or any other retail store, you have a lot to consider when running your business. One thing you will have to consider when doing your administrative tasks is ensuring that your retail location follows labor laws.
The United States Department of Labor, as well as your own state’s Department of Labor, require that certain labor laws be posted in a visible place in your workplace. These posters inform your retail employees of their rights under the labor laws. They also provide the proper contact information for the government agencies that provide legal protection under these laws. You are required to display these posters if you have even a single employee.
Required State Labor Law Posters
Every state has different requirements for their labor law posters. One they all have in common is the Occupational Safety and Health Act poster, which informs employees of your responsibility to provide them with a safe workplace. If your state has an OSHA-approved State Plan, then your OSHA labor law poster may look slightly different from other states’.
The best way to discover the state’s requirements for your retail business is to visit your state’s Department of Labor website and follow the links to poster requirements. You can find a list of all the state contact information on the federal Department of Labor website here.
Required Federal Labor Law Posters
Every retail store must display the federal labor law posters. These include:
- Job Safety and Health Protection poster
- Equal Employment Opportunity poster
- Notice to Workers with Disabilities Paid at Special Minimum Wages
- Davis Bacon Act poster
- Family and Medical Leave Act poster
- Federal Minimum Wage poster
- Employee Polygraph Protection Act poster
If you are a retailer that has a contract with the federal government, such as a gift shop or convenience store on a military base, you will need to display posters specific to federal employees. These can be displayed separately, or in an all-in-one federal contracts poster, which is sold from many labor laws retailers like Personnel Concepts.
Be Absolutely Sure
If you aren’t absolutely sure which labor law posters you need for your retail store, you can use the eLaws Poster Advisor on the federal Department of Labor’s website. This tool walks you through some questions about your business, and then tells you which federal posters you are required to have. It does not advise you on which state posters you need to display. It will also explain the reason for each poster in detail, so you understand why you are posting these displays.
If you are ever audited or brought to court by an injured or disgruntled employee, and you are found to be not displaying the proper labor law posters, you could be charged some very hefty fees. It’s best to ensure that this step is taken care of before you ever open your doors.
