One of the biggest responsibilities for employers to remain compliant today is to post Labor Law Posters. These employment posters are official notices that inform them about their rights under federal, state, and local labor laws. In 2025, both federal and state governments have implemented new updates which is applicable to all businesses regardless of their size and industry. This is a guide that showcases what employers need to know in order to be compliant.
Importance of Employment Posters
Employment posters are generally legal notices which is required within the workplace so that employees are able to know about their workplace rights, like pay, safety, discrimination, family leave, and other important laws. The law generally requires that these notices be posted in areas clearly accessible to the employees, such as break rooms or employee entrances.
The intent of these posters is to educate the employees about their workplace rights and help them to contact the right authority if their rights are violated. Not displaying them has heavy fines and penalties. Moreover, in 2025, the fines for multiple violations reached about $43,000.
Federal Employment Poster Requirements
Even if an employee has at least one employee are required to display the federal posters. These posters helps the employees to get protection in their workplace.
1. Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
This FLSA poster refers to federal minimum wage laws, overtime pay, and child labor laws. Additionally, it contains information regarding the PUMP (Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act) that states that all nursing mothers should have a break and a location to breastfeed at work. Employees must post these posters where all employees can see them.
2. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) – “Know Your Rights”
This poster is required for employees so that they can learn about their rights related to discrimination based on race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, and disability. Employers who have 15 or more employees must display this notice in their workplace, as failing to post this notice can lead to fines which can be upto $698 or more.
3. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) – “It’s the Law”
The OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) poster notifies workers of their right to a safe workplace and allows them to file a report about an unsafe condition. These posters must be at least 8.5” x 14” in size and must be posted in easily accessible locations for workers to read.
4. Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA)
This poster informs the employees that most private employers are prohibited from using lie detector tests for hiring or during employment decisions. The penalty for not displaying this notice in 2025 is about $26,262.
5. Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA)
The USERRA poster serves as a notification to employees about their rights related to military service and reemployment. There is no monetary penalty for failing to post, but the employer must provide the notice.
6. Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
If Employers have 50 or more employees, they must post this notice. This poster informs employees of their rights in the workplace and assists employees in maintaining a balance between work and family obligations. The maximum penalty for an FMLA poster violation in 2025 is about $216 per violation.
Federal Requirements by Employer Size
Federal poster obligations vary depending on the size of the business:
- Small Employers (1–14 employees): Must display FLSA, OSHA, EPPA, and USERRA posters.
- Medium Employers (15–49 employees): Must also display the EEOC discrimination poster.
- Large Employers (50+ employees): Must display all the above plus the FMLA poster.
State-Specific Poster Requirements
While federal posters apply to all employers, every state has its own requirements. Some states have numerous posting regulations, and others have limited requirements.
1. Comprehensive States
Some States, like California, New York, Illinois, Oregon, and Washington, require multiple posters that include state-specific notices about minimum wage, paid family leave, workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance, and workplace safety.
For example, in California, employers must display posters for state minimum wage, sick leave, safety regulations, and anti-discrimination laws. Whereas in Oregon, a Paid Leave is required in 11 languages for all workplaces and remote employees.
2. Minimal Requirement States
Some states, such as Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, have fewer additional posters. These states generally rely on federal posters, though some still require state-specific unemployment or workers’ compensation notices.
3. Common State-Specific Posters
- Minimum Wage Posters – These posters are required in most states, especially where state wages exceed the federal rate.
- Workers’ Compensation Notices – They inform employees of coverage and claim procedures.
- Unemployment Insurance Notices – This notice generally explains how we can apply for unemployment benefits.
- State Family Leave Posters – They are applicable in states with paid family or medical leave programs.
- Anti-Discrimination Notices – These posters are required in states that have additional protected classes.
2025 Updates and Penalty Changes
All employers should note that several updates took effect in 2025:
1. Mid-Year Minimum Wage Changes
- Alaska’s minimum wage rate increased to $13.00 per hour.
- Washington D.C.’s minimum wage was raised to $17.95
- Oregon continued its tiered structure, ranging from $14.05 to $16.30, based on the location.
An employer from these jurisdictions needs to remove the old posters showing previous rates and post the updated version.
2. Federal Penalty Increases
Federal agencies increased penalties for non-compliance are:
- Penalties for EEOC poster violations: up to $698.
- Penalties for OSHA poster violations: $16,550 per violation.
- Penalties for EPPA violations: $26,262.
- Penalties for FMLA poster violation: $216 per violation.
If multiple posters are missing, the total penalties could exceed $43,000 for a single workplace.
Posting Requirements and Best Practices
1. Physical Posting
Employers must post notices in employee gathering areas, including break rooms, entrances or in common hallways. The posters must be easy to see, easy to read, and printed at the required size. Employers with multiple locations must post notice in every business location.
2. Remote Worker Compliance
Since many employees are working remotely, having the ability to access required posters electronically is paramount. Although electronic posting does not eliminate the physical posters, employers should provide ease of access to remote workers through intranet or email.
Some states, like Oregon and Washington, require electronic distribution for remote employees. Employers should provide digital copies or links to required posters and keep proof of distribution.
3. Multi-Language Requirements
Federal law encourages, but does not necessarily require, notices to be posted in multiple languages. Many states, however, require posters to be in a bilingual or multilingual format. Minnesota is an example of a state that provides its posters in four languages: (1) English, (2) Hmong, (3) Somali, and (4) Spanish. Employers with diverse employees would be expected to post the notices in all primary languages that employees can understand.
4. Penalties and Enforcement
Compliance with posted notices is frequently evaluated during inspections conducted by an agency, like OSHA, the Department of Labor or EEOC. Having outdated, missing or non-compliant posters can lead to fines and being deemed non-compliant.
- Federal penalties can range from several hundred dollars and exceed $26,000 per violation.
- State penalties generally range from $100 to $1,000 per violation.
- Local governments can place additional fines for missing notices.
Inspectors typically verify posters during visits or investigations. Thus, employers should keep the documentation showing compliance, including proof of poster purchase and installation dates.
Compliance Management and Recordkeeping
1. Obtaining Official Posters
Employers should only utilize posters from official government websites. All mandatory federal posters are available at no cost from the U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA, and EEOC. State labor departments also provide official free downloads, if needed.
2. Avoiding Scams
Numerous private firms sell “all-in-one” posters but, in some cases, these companies imply that they are government agencies by using obscure wording or fonts in their advertisements. The states of Georgia and Washington have issued press releases warning against such methods. You can always confirm the source of the posters.
3. Keeping Posters Current
Employers should check for updates from the Department of Labor and state agencies on a regular basis. When a law is amended, the old posters must be taken down immediately and replaced. Keep a log of updates, including dates of amendments and where the posters were posted.
4. Multi-State Employers
Employers with multiple locations in different states will have to make sure they comply with the posting requirements specific to that state. It is better to maintain tracking for each posting requirement at a centralized location assign a compliance coordinator to ensure every location is compliant.
5. Remote and Hybrid Workplaces
Employers with remote/hybrid workforces should distribute copies of all required posters via email or internal portals. This is a way to ensure that every employee has the required legal information available to them, regardless of their work-site location. Some states are allowing for remote staff to only have digital wall postings, but physical postings would still be required at any office or worksite.
6. Industry-Specific Poster Requirements
Certain industries have unique poster requirements:
- Agriculture: Requires a special FLSA poster outlining protections for farm laborers and seasonal workers.
- Federal Contractors: Must display additional posters under the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), including pay transparency and veteran rights notices.
Conclusion
Remaining compliant with the latest employment posters is really helpful for protecting both the employers and employees. As we can see, there are several new updates that take place in 2025, Now it becomes very important that we stay with the current federal and state posting requirements. One should regularly audit their labor law posters, use official government and other relevant labor law poster service providers. Also, it is important to make sure digital access is provided to remote workers. By maintaining accurate and current postings, businesses not only avoid fines but also enhance transparency and trust within the workplace.
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