Labor laws have far-reaching impacts on businesses and employees, as they set the required standards for employment actions and workplace operations. Government organizations mandate that employees receive proper notification about these laws, which is why they have enacted regulations regarding labor law posters.
These important posters ensure that employees know about the laws that may apply to them. Regulations will tell businesses what posters they need to display. However, the rules from state to state can vary tremendously. Businesses, therefore, need to inform themselves both about the federal laws as well as state and other local jurisdictions that apply to them. Remaining compliant with these regulations is critical, but it can be a challenge to decipher all the nuances associated with these posters. Let’s explore what all businesses should know.
What are Labor Law Posters?
Labor law posters spell out the legal rights of employees and the requirements of employers. These posters will cover information such as minimum wage, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and the rights of employees in the workplace. The posters that an employer must display will vary depending on factors such as the size of the business and its industry.
Sometimes, employers find the labor law poster compliance regulations confusing. For example, if a state has a higher minimum wage than the federal government, businesses generally have to display information about both the state and federal rules, even though the state rules exceed those of the federal government.
These workplace compliance posters must be displayed somewhere people can easily access them. For those in a traditional office, often a break room or kitchen works as a good gathering place where the display will meet these regulations. Those with remote employees will need to make sure all employees have access to this information as well.
Federal vs. State Requirements
As companies start researching about the posters they need to display for their employees, they will find that they have to obey several jurisdictions. This includes federal regulations, state laws, and any other local mandates that impact their business. Compliance with all levels of regulation is required. As mentioned above, even if a more local justification goes further in their regulations than the federal government, businesses must still fulfill their federal requirements.
State-Specific Labor Law Poster Considerations
For your business to remain compliant with all the applicable regulations, you need to carefully investigate both the federal and local regulations applying to your company. State-specific labor law poster requirements can vary tremendously from area to area. This means you need to investigate the state laws in all your operating locations. If you have employees on-site in multiple places, you will need to make sure each location reflects its local laws.
For example, minimum wage laws offer a clear example of how much requirements can differ from place to place. While the District of Columbia has a minimum wage of $17.00, Delaware has a minimum wage of $13.25 and California is $16.00.
Other variations can come with language laws. In some states, such as Florida and New Mexico, if at least 5% of the employees speak English as a second language, you must also display your signs in Spanish.
Consequences of Non-Compliance
Governments take the regulations concerning labor law posters seriously, which means that failing to abide by these regulations can quickly result in steep fines. For example, failing to display the Occupational Safety and Health Administration poster when it is required can result in a fine of over $15,000 each time. These fines can quickly add up and become staggering for businesses. In addition to the federal fines, state and other local jurisdictions can have their own fines or penalties that you may incur. The fines can also increase and compound if businesses do not rectify their mistakes.
Staying Updated
Once you have determined what posters your business needs, that does not mean you have completed the process. Companies also have to stay abreast of any changes impacting the regulations displayed on these in-house posters. In the event of state labor law updates, such as an increase in the minimum wage, then you must also change the posters to reflect this shift. Unfortunately, businesses will not necessarily get any type of notification about this change in the laws, which means that you have to be proactive about researching changes in the applicable laws and making sure you keep your information up-to-date.
To manage this process yourself, you will likely want to set up alerts and regularly check information related to your labor posters to ensure they are up-to-date. Setting up alerts online to let you know if news is posted related to your labor laws and regularly checking the government websites related to your posters can help you get started.
For many businesses, however, the frustrations of regularly checking all these posters and the steep fines that can come with making a mistake mean that it quickly becomes worthwhile to contract out the responsibilities related to labor law posters. Working with a contractor to help you maintain compliance and to keep you updated when laws change can be the easiest and least stressful way to manage this important responsibility.
Getting Started with State-Specific Labor Law Posters
Keeping employees informed about their rights is an important step in maintaining a healthy and protected workforce. Laws require you to display posters prominently that will keep employees informed about their rights and protections and what they can legally expect from you, the employer. Failing to abide by these regulations can quickly result in large penalties as well, providing a strong motivation to abide by these rules. Fortunately, taking proactive steps to learn what posters you need for your size and industry can help you ensure compliance.
If you have questions about navigating the process related to HR compliance for state-specific labor law posters, contact Payday Payroll for expert assistance. Our team can help you understand your state-specific and federal labor law poster requirements so that you can quickly meet the regulations. Call us today and reduce the stress associated with navigating these complexities.