Required Workplace Posters for Employers

The Core Federal Posters Most Employers Need

A handful of federal posters apply to most employers covered by the underlying law, regardless of size:

• FLSA minimum wage poster, from the Department of Labor, describing minimum wage, overtime and child labor protections under the Fair Labor Standards Act. This applies to virtually any employer covered by the FLSA, which reaches most businesses engaged in interstate commerce or with at least $500,000 in annual revenue.
• OSHA "Job Safety and Health: It's the Law" poster, required of most private-sector employers covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Act, informing employees of their workplace safety rights. Employers in a state with its own OSHA-approved state plan use that state's version instead of OSHA's federal poster.
• Employee Polygraph Protection Act poster, from the Department of Labor, informing employees that most private employers cannot require a lie detector test as a condition of employment.

Posters That Depend on Your Employee Count

A few federal posters apply only once your business crosses a specific employee threshold:

• EEOC "Know Your Rights" poster, summarizing federal laws against discrimination based on race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability and genetic information. This generally applies to private employers with 15 or more employees, the threshold that triggers coverage under Title VII, the ADA and GINA, though the Age Discrimination in Employment Act separately covers employers with 20 or more employees.
• Family and Medical Leave Act poster, from the Department of Labor, explaining employee rights to unpaid, job-protected leave for family and medical reasons. This applies to private employers with 50 or more employees within a 75-mile radius; public agencies and public and private elementary and secondary schools must post it regardless of size.

USERRA and Government Contractor Posters

Employers must also post a notice of employee rights under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, covering reemployment rights for employees who serve in the uniformed services. Businesses that hold federal contracts or subcontracts face additional posting requirements, such as notices under the Davis-Bacon Act or the Service Contract Act for covered contract work, that don't apply to employers without federal contracts.

Where to Get Them and What They Cost

Every poster described above is free directly from the agency that requires it: the Department of Labor, OSHA and the EEOC each provide downloadable, printable versions on their own websites, and the Department of Labor's elaws Poster Advisor tool can help you confirm exactly which federal posters apply to your specific business. If a vendor charges you for a poster set, that charge covers their packaging and convenience, not a government fee, since none of these agencies charge for the posters themselves.

Where and How to Display Them

Post required posters in a conspicuous location where employees and applicants can readily see them, commonly a break room, a shared hallway, or near a time clock. For a workforce that works entirely remotely, the Department of Labor has recognized that posting required notices electronically, such as on a company intranet or through email, can satisfy the requirement in some circumstances, in addition to or instead of a physical posting, depending on the specific notice; check each agency's current guidance on electronic posting before relying on it exclusively.

Don't Forget Your State's Own Posters

Beyond the federal posters above, most states require their own set covering topics like state minimum wage, state workers' compensation rights, state unemployment insurance, and state-specific anti-discrimination or paid leave laws. These are obtained from your state's labor or workforce agency, separately from the federal posters, and the specific list varies significantly by state.

Confirm Your Specific Coverage Before Assuming a Poster Doesn't Apply

Coverage thresholds, like the FMLA's 50-employee count or the EEOC poster's 15-employee threshold, are based on specific legal tests, such as counting employees within a certain radius or over a certain period, not just your current headcount on a given day. If you're near one of these thresholds, confirm your actual coverage with the relevant agency rather than guessing.

Older Poster Versions Don't Always Need Immediate Replacement

Agencies periodically update poster language, such as updated penalty amounts or contact information, but generally don't require you to replace a poster that was compliant when posted simply because a newer version exists; check each agency's specific guidance on this, since practice varies by poster. When in doubt, download and post the current version.

Multi-Location Employers Need Posters at Every Site

If your business operates from more than one physical location, each location where employees work generally needs its own complete, current set of required posters, not just your main office. This is a common gap for growing businesses that post correctly at headquarters but overlook newer locations.

This Is Not Legal Advice

Which specific posters apply to your business depends on your employee count, your industry, and whether you hold federal contracts, and poster requirements are updated from time to time. Use the Department of Labor's elaws Poster Advisor or talk to an employment attorney to confirm your exact current requirements.