Required labor law posters are one of the most overlooked compliance requirements — and one of the most commonly cited violations during DOL and state labor department inspections. The penalties are modest per poster, but the bigger risk is that a poster violation tips off an inspector to look more carefully at everything else.
This guide covers which federal and state posters you need, where to get them, and how to stay current when requirements change.
Required Federal Posters
Every private employer covered by federal employment laws must display these posters where employees can readily see them:
Federal Required Posters
Required for all employers covered by FLSA. Shows current federal minimum wage. Free from the DOL at dol.gov/agencies/whd/posters. Update when federal minimum wage changes (currently $7.25/hour since 2009, though many states are higher).
Required for all employers covered by OSHA. Lists employee rights under OSHA and how to file a complaint. Free from OSHA at osha.gov. Must use the 2015 or later version.
Required for employers with 15+ employees. Covers Title VII, ADA, ADEA, and other anti-discrimination laws. Free from the EEOC at eeoc.gov. Updated version required.
Required for FMLA-covered employers (50+ employees). Must be posted even if no employees are currently eligible. Free from the DOL at dol.gov/agencies/whd/fmla.
Required for most private employers. Prohibits most employers from using lie detector tests. Free from the DOL.
Required for all employers. Protects military service members' reemployment rights. Free from the DOL.
State Labor Law Poster Requirements
Every state has its own set of required posters — and most have more requirements than the federal government. Below are the most commonly required state poster categories:
Common State-Required Poster Categories
Required in states with a minimum wage higher than the federal rate. Must be updated when the state minimum wage changes — many states raise their rate January 1 or July 1 each year.
Covers state-specific protected classes (many states add sexual orientation, gender identity, and others not in federal law). Available from your state's civil rights commission.
Required in all states with workers' comp laws. Shows how employees file claims and who administers the program. Often provided by your workers' comp insurance carrier.
Informs employees about their unemployment benefits. Available from your state's unemployment agency.
Required in states with mandatory paid sick leave or paid family leave laws (CA, NY, NJ, WA, MA, CT, OR, CO, RI, and growing). Content and posting requirements vary by state.
29 states operate their own OSHA-approved programs. If you're in one of these states, you post the state OSHA poster instead of (or in addition to) the federal version.
Where to Post and How
Federal law requires posters be displayed "in a conspicuous place where employees and applicants for employment can readily observe them." Practical guidance:
- Location: Break rooms, common areas, near time clocks, or main entrances are typical. The requirement is visibility to all employees — a poster in a locked manager's office doesn't qualify.
- Language: If a significant portion of your workforce speaks a language other than English, you must post in that language as well. Most DOL posters are available in Spanish and other languages.
- Remote workers: The DOL has stated that employers with remote workers should provide posters electronically — via email, an intranet, or similar — to employees who don't visit a physical worksite.
- Multiple locations: Each worksite needs its own set of posters. You cannot rely on posters at headquarters to cover employees working at another location.
Staying Current with Poster Updates
This is where most employers fall behind. Posters must be updated when the underlying law changes. Common trigger events:
- State minimum wage increases (very common on January 1)
- Changes to state anti-discrimination laws adding new protected classes
- New or expanded state leave laws
- Federal regulatory changes
Poster Violation Penalties
Federal penalties for missing posters are relatively modest ($100–$12,000 per violation depending on the agency and violation type), but they signal non-compliance to inspectors who can then look at everything else. State penalties vary widely.
The real cost of a poster violation is what it leads to — a thorough inspection of your wage and hour practices, I-9 files, and other compliance areas.