Any business in the U.S. with one or more employees must display the various labor law posters required. Only businesses with no employees or family-run businesses are exempt from displaying these posters.
The posters are made available by federal and state departments, and they contain information about the rights and obligations of employees in their workplace. This information is contained in a clear and understandable format.
Depending on the nature of the business, some of these labor law posters may vary, but they all need to be prominently displayed in every business.
Types of Labor Law Posters
Federal labor law posters differ from state labor law posters because they contain information regarding employees from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and USERRA (Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act). They also mention regulations concerning the federal minimum wage and other important federal information. The state labor law posters contain state-specific regulations.
Even if the state has a higher minimum wage than the federal one, both the state and federal posters must be displayed.
Where must the labor law posters be displayed?
There are various types of federal and state labor laws that need to be displayed within a business. They need to be seen by all employees, so in some businesses, these may need to be displayed in more than one location. They must be placed in well-frequented areas like common areas that all employees visit daily.
These areas may include break rooms, common rooms, kitchens, and lunch areas. It is not a good idea to place the labor law posters in the owner’s office, in the hallway, in a gender-specific bathroom, or the HR manager’s office. This is because the law states they must be in an area where everyone can readily see them.
If there is more than one common area, and not all employees have access to both, then a set of posters needs to be placed in each separate common area. The same applies to employees working in separate buildings, the posters must be displayed in both buildings.
Remote workers are not excluded from the law which says they must have access to labor law posters. A copy of the posters can be sent to them, or they can be made available to them online.
What happens if the posters are not displayed?
Whenever there is a change in state or federal laws, the appropriate posters in the workplace must be replaced with the current version. State and federal agencies do not commonly go out to inspect premises for violations, but these are usually discovered if the company comes under investigation.
Failure to display the labor posters can result in fines of between $110 and $35,000, depending on if the employee has repeatedly violated the law or has knowingly ignored it.
Collecting and displaying labor law posters
It is not easy for a business to locate, download, and print all the labor law posters they need. The information is never only available on one federal or state site, and employers need to visit several sites to ensure they have all the relevant posters. This can be both frustrating and time-consuming.
Companies that specialize in labor law compliance do all the research and ensure all the information is made available to business owners or those responsible for renewing the posters in the company.
These services allow the business to find the mandatory federal and state labor law posters for free. Employers can also find a list of posters that are not required but highly recommended. These ensure employees are compliant with the requirements and can avoid any repercussions.
Tracking changes can also be difficult, and the best labor law compliance companies appropriately update this information as it becomes available.
Other requirements
The laws governing the display of the labor law notices also state that they cannot be altered, defaced, or hidden from view. Employees must ensure they are protected, and many opt for laminated posters or glass displays. This way of displaying the posters guarantees they are clearly visible to everyone in their employ and cannot be defaced or altered.
It is a serious offense not to allow employees access to their workplace rights and obligations. Labor law posters not only improve productivity in the workplace, but also remind everyone of their responsibilities, requirements, and rights, both federally and within the state they are working.
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