Skip to main content

Happy New Year! Now’s a Good Time to Get Your Posters in Shape.

By January 8, 2015July 23rd, 2018Human Resources

by Laura Pokrzywa

weight liftIt’s a new year. The gyms are full and low-fat foods are on sale everywhere. This is the time to reassess and make improvements. Before you lose that determination to do the right thing this year, take a quick look around your facilities. Do you see labor law posters in place? Are they current?

Improper posting of some notices—or no posting at all—can result in citations or penalties. In order to remain legally compliant, employers must be aware of both federal and state requirements for posting employee notices. Not only do you need to know which posters are required for your business, but you’ll need to ensure they are not outdated and that they are posted appropriately.

Where to post: Notices that must be posted should be placed where employees can ‘readily observe them’. That may mean hanging them in the break room, by the time clock, in a regularly used meeting room, etc. Where ever you know the employees that need to see it will see it. Some required notices do not need to be posted but can simply be handed to the covered employees. Follow the links below to learn which is which.

OSHA poster      DOL poster

Federal posters: Not all federal statutes are applicable to all employers. Therefore, posting requirements will vary depending on company criteria such as number of employees, type of business, funding, etc. To help you determine which Department of Labor (DOL) posters are required for you, the DOL has created a handy on-line tool called the FirstStep Poster Advisor. Click here to access the Advisor and answer a series of brief questions about your company. This survey will help you figure out what is required for your business.

Here is a listing of some of the most commonly required DOL employee notices (listed by the related Act) along with the currently-accepted revision date:

 FLSA: Fair Labor Standards Act (July 2007 or July 2009)
 OSHA: Occupational Safety and Health Act (2006 or earlier)
 FMLA: Family and Medical Leave Act (January 16, 2009)
 EEO: Equal Employment Opportunity (November 2009)

These posters, and others, can be downloaded or ordered, at no cost, from the DOL. Some of the posters are also available in languages other than English.

State posters: Don’t forget those state requirements. All employers in Pennsylvania must display the following posters, according to the state’s Department of Labor & Industry:

 Minimum Wage Law Summary (Rev 9-09)
 Abstract of the Equal Pay Law (Rev 2-07)
 Unemployment Compensation (Rev 10-14)
 Workers’ Compensation Insurance (Rev 5-09)

Like the federal posters, these can be downloaded or ordered at not cost, from the state. Other posters may be required as well, depending on your business. For more information about these and other state posters, visit your state’s labor web site. Below are links for some states in which many of our clients operate:

Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry
Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services
New York Department of Labor
Indiana Department of Workforce Development
West Virginia Division of Personnel
Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation
Virginia Department of Labor and Industry
Kentucky Labor Cabinet
Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development
North Carolina Department of Labor
South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation
Georgia Department of Labor
Florida Department of Economic Opportunity

Need help finding information from other states or determining posting requirements for your company? Contact East Coast Risk Management. We offer Human Resource audits and consulting to help you ensure full legal compliance with posters, handbooks, records retention, and many other areas.

Send your questions to hrhelpline@eastcoastrm.com. If you’d like email notification of all blog updates, you can subscribe by typing your email address into the box to the right and hitting the “subscribe” button.

Disclaimer
The information provided on this web site is for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. Use of and access to this web site do not create an attorney-client relationship between East Coast Risk Management or our employment attorney and the user or browser.