Understanding State and Federal Labor Law Poster Requirements

As a small business employer, the State of Indiana and the U.S. government require you to display state and federal Department of Labor (DOL) posters in your workplace. These posters provide your employees with information about worker rights and must be posted in areas visible to all employees. Perhaps you’re aware you need to display these posters, but you’re not really sure which posters are required for your business or how you go about obtaining them.

State and federal labor law posting requirements can vary per company based on several factors, such as the industry the business is in, the number of employees, and whether or not the company performs work for the U.S. government as a contractor. Additionally, posting obligations can change frequently. Unfortunately, as an employer, it’s your responsibility to make sure you’re in compliance. If not, you can face up to $17,000 in fines.

Indiana DOL and Workforce Development Posters

As an Indiana employer, you may need to display up to 6 posters, depending upon the following requirements:

• Indiana Minimum Wage Poster – required for businesses making less than $500,000 a year (gross). If your company grosses over $500,000, or it’s involved in interstate commerce, federal wage and hour regulations apply.
• Indiana Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA) Poster – required for all businesses, except those who hire employees for domestic service in a private home and for employees covered by a federal agency.
• Teen Worker Hour Restrictions Poster – required if you hire employees between the ages of 14 and 17.
• Indiana Unemployment Insurance Poster – required for all companies with employees.
• Indiana Workers Compensation Poster – required for all companies with employees.
• Equal Employment Opportunity Poster – required for businesses with 6 or more employees. Must be posted in a location visible to employees and job applicants.

Download and print the first 3 posters from http://www.in.gov/dol/2366.htm and the last 3 from http://www.in.gov/dwd/2455.htm.

Federal DOL Posters

Additionally, depending upon certain qualifications, employers may need to display up to 8 federal DOL posters, including:

• Job Safety and Health Protection (OSHA) Poster – required by federal government agencies. Indiana businesses are required to display the Indiana OSHA poster.
• Equal Employment Opportunity Poster – required for businesses that have federal contracts, subcontracts or federally assisted construction contracts of $10,000+; financial institutions that issue and pay U.S. savings bond and savings notes; federal funds depositories or businesses with government bills of lading.
• Fair Labor Standards Act Poster – required for all private, federal, state and local government employers. Non-government Indiana employers must post the Indiana Minimum Wage Poster.
• Employee Right for Workers with Disabilities/Special Minimum Wage Poster – required for businesses that employ workers with disabilities under special minimum wage certificates. In lieu of posting this notice, it may be provided directly to employees or guardians of employees with disabilities.
• Family and Medical Leave Act Poster – required for businesses that are engaged in and/or affect commerce, and employ 50 or more employees for 20 or more work weeks.
• Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act Poster – must be provided to employees who voluntarily or involuntarily leave employment due to military service or service in the National Disaster Medical System. In lieu of posting this notice, it may be distributed via hand, mail or email to affected employees.
• Employee Polygraph Protection Act Poster – required for employers engaged or affecting commerce or in production of goods for commerce.
• Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act Poster – required for businesses providing housing to migrant agricultural workers.

The Equal Employment Opportunity, Family and Medical Leave Act and Employee Polygraph Protection Act posters must be posted in a location visible to employees and job applicants. Go to the Department of Labor website for more information and to download and print posters for free.

For additional help in determining which federal DOL workplace posters are required for your small business, visit the DOL’s “FirstStep Poster Advisor” website.

Hopefully, The Payroll Department has helped clear up some of your confusion about labor law posters, so your business can stay in compliance. And remember to contact us for your company’s payroll services needs.

– Ariane of The Payroll Department Blog Team