If you have at least one employee, federal law requires you to display certain labor law posters in a common area where employees and job applicants can easily see them. Most employers must post up to six federal notices: the EEOC Know Your Rights poster, plus the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), OSHA, Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) and USERRA postings. Which ones apply depends on your company's size, employer type and the federal laws covering your business and employees. Five come from sub-agencies of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL); the sixth, the Know Your Rights poster, comes from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
You're also responsible for keeping these postings current. Agencies release new or updated versions to reflect changes in laws, procedures, guidelines or contact information, and they don't notify you when a change takes effect. Below are the six mandatory federal postings, with what each law covers, who must display it and where to post it.
1. EEOC Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal Poster
What it says: Informs job applicants and employees of their rights under federal Equal Employment Opportunity laws, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), the Equal Pay Act (EPA) and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA)
Who must post: Employers with 15 or more employees
Who enforces: EEOC
Posting instructions: Display where all employees and applicants can see it
2. Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Poster
What it says: Describes in detail the federal law regarding minimum wage, overtime pay, tip credit, break time for nursing employees and child labor
Who must post: Employers whose annual sales total $500,000 or more or who are engaged in interstate commerce
Who enforces: DOL, Wage and Hour Division
Posting instructions: Display in a conspicuous location accessible to all employees, such as employee break rooms, entrance areas and lounges or near time clock stations
3. Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Poster
What it says: Summarizes the major provisions of the federal leave law and tells employees how to file a complaint
Who must post: Private employers with 50 or more employees, public agencies (including federal, state and local employers), and public and private elementary and secondary schools
Who enforces: DOL, Wage and Hour Division
Posting instructions: Display where all employees and applicants can see it.
Note: You must display the poster at every business location, even if there are no eligible employees at that location. Also, if a significant portion of your workforce is not proficient in English, you must provide the poster in a language the employees speak
4. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Poster
What it says: Explains that employees are entitled to a workplace free from recognized hazards under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, with guidance on how to report workplace hazards
Who must post: Private employers engaged in a business affecting commerce
Who enforces: DOL, Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Posting instructions: Display in a conspicuous location accessible to all employees, such as employee break rooms, entrance areas and lounges or near time clock stations
5. Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) Poster
What it says: Informs applicants and employees that employers may not request or require lie detector tests for employment purposes or retaliate against them if they refuse to take lie detector tests
Who must post: Any employer engaged in or affecting commerce, or in the production of goods for commerce
Who enforces: DOL, Wage and Hour Division
Posting instructions: Display where all employees and applicants can see it
6. Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Right Act (USERRA) Notice
What it says: Summarizes the reemployment rights and non-discriminatory job protections for uniformed service members under USERRA
Who must post: All employers
Who enforces: DOL, Veterans’ Employment and Training Service
Posting instructions: Display where all employees can see it
Be aware: Skipping a required poster carries real consequences. Missing or outdated notices can trigger government fines, compliance violations and employee complaints — in addition to raising your legal exposure. In an audit, investigation or employment dispute, a missing poster can be treated as evidence that you failed to inform employees of their rights.
