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Some of the statutes and regulations enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) require that notices be provided to employees and/or posted in the workplace. DOL provides free electronic copies of the required posters and some of the posters are available in languages other than English.
Please note that posting requirements vary by statute; that is, not all employers are covered by each of the Department's statutes and thus may not be required to post a specific notice. For example, some small businesses may not be covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act and thus would not be subject to the Act's posting requirements.
The elaws Poster Advisor can be used to determine which poster(s) employers are required to display at their place(s) of business. Posters, available in English and other languages, may be downloaded free of charge and printed directly from the Advisor. If you already know which poster(s) you are required to display, see below to download and print the appropriate poster(s) free of charge.
Please note that the elaws Poster Advisor provides information on federal DOL poster requirements. For information on state poster requirements, please visit state Departments of Labor.
Compliance Assistance Materials
Workplace Posters
Revised: July 2016
Check out the FirstStep - Poster Advisor for the "Employee Rights Under the Fair Labor Standards Act" Poster (FLSA / Minimum Wage) which provides access to short descriptions of DOL poster requirements and links to printable posters.
Who Must Post: Every private, federal, state and local government employer employing any employee subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act, 29 USC 211, 29 CFR 516.4 posting of notices.
Citations / Penalty: No citations or penalties for failure to post.
Other Information: Any employer of employees to whom sec. 7 of the Fair Labor Standards Act does not apply may alter or modify the poster legibly to show that the overtime provisions do not apply. For information on how to order a poster, please visit: webapps.dol.gov/WHPS/Presentation/
Specific posters for:
- Federal Minimum Wage:
- State and Local Government Employees PDF)
- Agricultural Employees (PDF)
- Agricultural Employees Spanish Version (PDF)
- American Samoa (PDF)
- Samoan Version (PDF)
- Northern Mariana Islands (PDF)
- Notice to Workers with Disabilities/Special Minimum Wage (PDF)
Worker Rights Under Executive Order 13658: Federal Minimum Wage for Contractors (PDF)
Poster Revised: 2019 (previous versions acceptable)
Check out the FirstStep - Poster Advisor for the "Job Safety and Health: It's the Law" Poster (Occupational Safety and Health Act/OSHA) which provides access to short descriptions of DOL poster requirements and links to printable posters.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
29 USC 657(c), 29 CFR 1903.2
Who Must Post: Private employers engaged in a business affecting commerce. Does not apply to federal, state or political subdivisions of states.
Citations / Penalty: Any covered employer failing to post the poster may be subject to citation and penalty.
Other Information: Employers in states operating OSHA-approved state plans should obtain and post the state's equivalent poster. For more information about Job Safety and Health, please visit: www.osha.gov/publications/poster
Poster Revised: April 2016 (February 2013 version acceptable)
Check out the FirstStep - Poster Advisor for the "Employee Rights and Responsibilities Under The Family and Medical Leave Act" (FMLA) which provides access to short descriptions of DOL poster requirements and links to printable posters.
Wage and Hour Division (WHD)
29 CFR 825.300, .402
Who Must Post: Public agencies (including state, local, and federal employers), public and private elementary and secondary schools, as well as private sector employers who employ 50 or more employees in 20 or more work weeks and who are engaged in commerce or in any industry or activity affecting commerce, including joint employers and successors of covered employers.
Citations / Penalty: Willful refusal to post may result in a civil money penalty by the Wage and Hour Division not to exceed $100 for each separate offense.
Other Information: Where an employer's workforce is not proficient in English, the employer must provide the notice in the language the employee speaks. The poster must be posted prominently where it can be readily seen by employees and applicants for employment. For information on how to order a poster, please visit: https://orders.gpo.gov/DOL/WHPS.aspx/
Poster Revised: June 2023
"Know Your Rights" Poster Replaces "EEO is the Law" and "EEO is the Law Supplement" Posters
Check out the FirstStep - Poster Advisor for the "Know Your Rights" Poster, which provides access to short descriptions of DOL poster requirements and links to printable posters.
The "Know Your Rights" poster summarizes the federal laws prohibiting job discrimination and explains how employees or applicants can file a complaint if they believe they have experienced discrimination and must be posted by federal contractors at their worksites.
Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs Executive Order 11246, as amended; Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended; 38 U.S.C. 4212 of the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, as amended; 41 CFR 60-1.4; 60-741.5(a)4; 60-300.5(a)9
Who Must Post: Entities holding federal contracts or subcontracts or federally assisted construction contracts of more than $10,000; financial institutions which are issuing and paying agents for U.S. savings bonds and savings notes; depositories of federal funds or entities having government bills of lading.
Please note that the EEOC* may provide additional posting requirements at Section 2000e-10 [§711].
Citations / Penalty: Appropriate contract sanctions may be imposed for uncorrected violations.
Other Information: Display copies of the "Know Your Rights" poster and Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination provision in conspicuous places available to employees, applicants for employment, and send to representatives of labor organizations with which there is a collective bargaining agreement.
Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision (41 CFR part 60-1.35)
Revised: January 2016
Check out the FirstStep - Poster Advisor for the Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision (41 CFR Part 60-1.35) which provides access to short descriptions of DOL poster requirements and links to printable posters.
* DOL’s Office of Federal Compliance Programs has made revisions to the previous poster, updating it to reflect recent revisions to Executive Order 11246, and the regulations implementing Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act. Federal contractors must post both the "EEO is the Law" poster and the supplement. Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs Executive Order 11246, as amended; Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended; 38 U.S.C. 4212 of the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, as amended; 41 CFR 60-1.4; 60-741.5(a)4; 60-300.5(a)9
* DOL’s Office of Federal Compliance Programs has made revisions to the previous poster, updating it to reflect recent revisions to Executive Order 11246, and the regulations implementing Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act. Federal contractors must post both the "EEO is the Law" poster and the supplement. Please note that the EEOC* may provide additional posting requirements at Section 2000e-10 [§711].
Citations / Penalty: Appropriate contract sanctions may be imposed for uncorrected violations.
Other Information: Post copies of the poster, supplement, and provision in conspicuous places available to employees, applicants for employment, and send to representatives of labor organizations with which there is a collective bargaining agreement.
Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision (41 CFR Part 60-1.35)
Revised: English/Spanish: April 1983; English/Haitian: February 1984
Check out the FirstStep - Poster Advisor for the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act Notice (MSPA) which provides access to short descriptions of DOL poster requirements and links to printable posters.
Wage and Hour Division (WHD)
29 CFR 500.75, .76
Who Must Post: Agricultural employers, agricultural associations and farm labor contractors subject to the MSPA and who employs any migrant or seasonal agricultural worker(s).
Citations / Penalty: A civil money penalty may be assessed.
Other Information: Each employer covered by the Act who provides housing to migrant agricultural workers shall post in a conspicuous place, throughout the occupancy period, information on the terms and conditions of occupancy of such housing. For information on how to order a poster, please visit: webapps.dol.gov/WHPS/Presentation/
Revised: July 2007
Check out the FirstStep - Poster Advisor for the "Employee Rights for Workers with Disabilities Paid at Special Minimum Wages" Poster (FLSA Section 14(c)) which provides access to short descriptions of DOL poster requirements and links to printable posters.
Who Must Post: Every employer having workers employed under special minimum wage certificates authorized by section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Citations / Penalty: No citations or penalties for failure to post.
Other Information: Where an employer finds it inappropriate to post such a notice, the employer may provide the poster directly to all employees subject to its terms. For information on how to order a poster, please visit: webapps.dol.gov/WHPS/Presentation/
Revised: July 2016
Check out the FirstStep - Poster Advisor for the Employee Polygraph Protection Act Notice (EPPA) which provides access to short descriptions of DOL poster requirements and links to printable posters.
Who Must Post: Any employer engaged in or affecting commerce or in the production of goods for commerce. Does not apply to federal, state and local governments, or to circumstances covered by the national defense and security exemption.
Citations / Penalty: The Secretary of Labor can bring court actions and assess civil penalties for failing to post.
Other Information: The Act extends to all employees or prospective employees regardless of their citizenship status. Foreign corporations operating in the United States must comply or will result in penalties for failing to post. The poster must be displayed where employees and applicants for employment can readily observe it. For information on how to order a poster, please visit: webapps.dol.gov/WHPS/Presentation/
Revised: April 2017 (July 2008 and October 2008 versions acceptable.)
Check out the FirstStep - Poster Advisor for the "Your Rights Under USERRA" Notice/Poster which provides access to short descriptions of DOL poster requirements and links to printable posters.
Who Must Post: The full text of the notice must be provided by each employer to persons entitled to rights and benefits under USERRA.
Citations / Penalty: No citations or penalties for failure to notify. An individual could ask DOL to investigate and seek compliance, or file a private enforcement action to require the employer to provide the notice to employees.
Other Information: Employers may provide the notice by posting it where employee notices are customarily placed. However, employers are free to provide the notice in other ways that will minimize costs while ensuring that the full text of the notice is provided (e.g., by distributing the notice by direct handling, mailing, or via email). For more information about USERRA, please visit: www.dol.gov/agencies/vets/programs/userra.
Revised: February 2010
Check out the FirstStep - Poster Advisor for the Employee Rights Under the H-2A Program which provides access to short descriptions of DOL poster requirements and links to printable posters.
Who Must Post: Agricultural employers hiring temporary agricultural workers under H-2A visas.
Citations / Penalty: The Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor has a primary role in investigating and enforcing the terms and conditions of employment. WHD is responsible for enforcing the contractual obligations employers have toward employees, and may assess civil money penalties and recover unpaid wages. Administrative proceedings and/or injunctive actions through federal courts may be instituted to compel compliance with an employer's contractual obligations to employees. The Employment Training Administration (ETA) enforces other aspects of the laws and regulations. ETA is responsible for administering sanctions relating to substantial violations of the regulations and less than substantial violations of the regulations.
Other Information: Foreign workers employed under the H-2A program are not covered under the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act (MSPA); however, various other laws, such as workers' compensation, tax (unemployment insurance, local, state, and federal), the Fair Labor Standards Act, and the Family and Medical Leave Act may apply to the employment of these workers.
Workplace Posters of special interest to federal contractors:
Revised: April 2009
Check out the FirstStep - Poster Advisor for the Notice to All Employees Working on Federal or Federally Financed Construction Projects (Davis-Bacon Act)mployee Rights Under the Fair Labor Standards Act" Poster (FLSA / Minimum Wage) which provides access to short descriptions of DOL poster requirements and links to printable posters.
Who Must Post: Any contractor/subcontractor engaged in contracts in excess of $2,000 for the actual construction, alteration/repair of a public building or public work or building or work financed in whole or in part from federal funds, federal guarantee, or federal pledge which is subject to the labor standards provisions of any of the acts listed in 29 CFR 5.1.
Citations / Penalty: No citations or penalties for failure to post.
Other Information: The contractor or subcontractor is required to insert in any subcontract the poster requirements contained in 29 CFR 5.5(a)(l). The poster must be posted at the site of work, in a prominent and accessible place where it can easily be seen by workers.
For information on how to order a poster, please visit: webapps.dol.gov/WHPS/Presentation/
Poster Revised: June 2023
"Know Your Rights" Poster Replaces "EEO is the Law" and "EEO is the Law Supplement" Posters
Check out the FirstStep - Poster Advisor for the "Know Your Rights" Poster, which provides access to short descriptions of DOL poster requirements and links to printable posters.
The "Know Your Rights" poster summarizes the federal laws prohibiting job discrimination and explains how employees or applicants can file a complaint if they believe they have experienced discrimination and must be posted by federal contractors at their worksites.
Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs Executive Order 11246, as amended; Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended; 38 U.S.C. 4212 of the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, as amended; 41 CFR 60-1.4; 60-741.5(a)4; 60-300.5(a)9
Who Must Post: Entities holding federal contracts or subcontracts or federally assisted construction contracts of more than $10,000; financial institutions which are issuing and paying agents for U.S. savings bonds and savings notes; depositories of federal funds or entities having government bills of lading.
Please note that the EEOC* may provide additional posting requirements at Section 2000e-10 [§711].
Citations / Penalty: Appropriate contract sanctions may be imposed for uncorrected violations.
Other Information: Display copies of the "Know Your Rights" poster and Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination provision in conspicuous places available to employees, applicants for employment, and send to representatives of labor organizations with which there is a collective bargaining agreement.
Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision (41 CFR part 60-1.35)
Revised: January 2016
Check out the FirstStep - Poster Advisor for the Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision (41 CFR Part 60-1.35) which provides access to short descriptions of DOL poster requirements and links to printable posters.
* DOL’s Office of Federal Compliance Programs has made revisions to the previous poster, updating it to reflect recent revisions to Executive Order 11246, and the regulations implementing Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act. Federal contractors must post both the "EEO is the Law" poster and the supplement.
Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs Executive Order 11246, as amended; Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended; 38 U.S.C. 4212 of the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, as amended; 41 CFR 60-1.4; 60-741.5(a)4; 60-300.5(a)9
Who Must Post: Entities holding federal contracts or subcontracts or federally assisted construction contracts of more than $10,000; financial institutions which are issuing and paying agents for U.S. savings bonds and savings notes; depositories of federal funds or entities having government bills of lading.
Please note that the EEOC* may provide additional posting requirements at Section 2000e-10 [§711].
Citations / Penalty: Appropriate contract sanctions may be imposed for uncorrected violations.
Other Information: Post copies of the poster, supplement, and provision in conspicuous places available to employees, applicants for employment, and send to representatives of labor organizations with which there is a collective bargaining agreement.
Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision (41 CFR Part 60-1.35)
Revised: April 2009
Check out the FirstStep - Poster Advisor for the "Employee Rights on Government Contracts" Poster (SCA, CWHSSA, Walsh-Healey) which provides access to short descriptions of DOL poster requirements and links to printable posters.
Who Must Post: Every contractor or subcontractor engaged in a contract with the United States or the District of Columbia in excess of $2,500 the principal purpose of which is to furnish services in the U.S. through the use of service employees.
Citations / Penalty: No citations or penalties for failure to post.
Other Information: Contractors and any subcontractors engaged in federal service contracts exceeding $2,500 shall notify each service employee or post the minimum monetary wage and any fringe benefits required to be paid pursuant to the contract.
For information on how to order a poster, please visit: https://orders.gpo.gov/DOL/WHPS.aspx
Revised: May 2010
Check out the FirstStep - Poster Advisor for the "Notification of Employee Rights Under Federal Labor Laws" Poster which provides access to short descriptions of DOL poster requirements and links to printable posters.
Who Must Post: Federal contractors and subcontractors must post the employee notice conspicuously in and around their plants and offices so that it is prominent and readily seen by employees. In particular, contractors and subcontractors must post the notice where other notices to employees about their jobs are posted.
Additionally, federal contractors and subcontractors who post notices to employees electronically must also post the required notice electronically via a link to the OLMS website. When posting electronically, the link to the notice must be placed where the contractor customarily places other electronic notices to employees about their jobs. The link can be no less prominent than other employee notices. Electronic posting cannot be used as a substitute for physical posting.
Where a significant portion of a federal contractor's or subcontractor's workforce is not proficient in English, they must provide the employee notice in languages spoken by employees. OLMS will provide translations of the employee notice that can be used to comply with the physical and electronic posting requirements.
Citations / Penalty: The sanctions, penalties, and remedies for noncompliance with the notice requirements include the suspension or cancellation of the contract and the debarring of Federal contractors from future Federal contracts.
Other Information: The notice, prescribed in the Department of Labor's regulations, informs employees of Federal contractors and subcontractors of their rights under the NLRA to organize and bargain collectively with their employers and to engage in other protected concerted activity. Additionally, the notice provides examples of illegal conduct by employers and unions, and it provides contact information to the National Labor Relations Board (www.nlrb.gov), the agency responsible for enforcing the NLRA.
For more information about OLMS Federal Labor Laws, please visit: www.dol.gov/agencies/olms/poster/labor-rights-federal-contractors
Applicable Laws and Regulations
- Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) - Establishes minimum wages, overtime pay, record keeping and child labor standards for private sector and government workers. The FLSA is administered and enforced by the Wage and Hour Division.
- Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) - Provides an entitlement of up to 12 weeks of job-protected, unpaid leave during any 12-month period to eligible, covered employees for the following reasons: 1) birth and care of the eligible employee's child, or placement for adoption or foster care of a child with the employee; 2) care of an immediate family member (spouse, child, parent) who has a serious health condition; or 3) when the employee is unable to work due to his or her own serious health condition. The FMLA is administered and enforced by the Wage and Hour Division.
- Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act - Requires employers to comply with occupational safety and health standards issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and to provide employees with a workplace that is free from recognized hazards that are causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm. The OSH Act is administered and enforced by OSHA.
- Migrant and Seasonal Agriculture Worker Protection Act (MSPA) - Requires farm labor contractors, agricultural employers, and agricultural associations who recruit, solicit, hire, employ, furnish, transport, or house agricultural workers, as well as providers of migrant housing, to meet certain minimum requirements in their dealings with migrant and seasonal agricultural workers. The MSPA is administered and enforced by the Wage and Hour Division.
- Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) - Prohibits most private employers from using lie detector tests, either for pre-employment screening or during the course of employment. The EPPA is administered and enforced by the Wage and Hour Division.
- Executive Order 11246 (Equal Employment Opportunity) - Prohibits certain Federal contractors and subcontractors from discriminating in employment decisions on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin. This E.O. applies to Federal contractors and subcontractors and to Federally assisted construction contractors and subcontractors, who do over $10,000 in government business in one year. Additionally, Executive Order 11246 prohibits federal contractors and subcontractors from, under certain circumstances, taking adverse employment actions against applicants and employees for asking about, discussing, or sharing information about their pay or the pay of their co-workers. The Executive Order also requires covered government contractors to take affirmative action to ensure that equal opportunity is provided in all aspects of employment. Executive Order 11246 is administered and enforced by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs.
- Davis-Bacon and Related Acts (DBRA) - Requires that all contractors and subcontractors performing work on federal or District of Columbia construction contracts in excess of $2,000, or on federally assisted contracts, pay their laborers and mechanics not less than the prevailing wage rates and fringe benefits. The DBRA is administered and enforced by the Wage and Hour Division.
- McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act (SCA) - Requires contractors and subcontractors performing services on federal or District of Columbia contracts in excess of $2,500 to pay service employees in various classes no less than the wage rates and fringe benefits found prevailing in the locality or the rates (including prospective increases) contained in a predecessor contractor's collective bargaining agreement. The wage and hour requirements of the SCA are administered and enforced by the Wage and Hour Division.
- Walsh-Healey Public Contracts Act (PCA) - Requires covered contractors to pay employees on federal supply contracts not less than the federal minimum wage for all hours worked and time and one half their regular rate of pay for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek. The wage and hour requirements of the PCA are administered and enforced by the Wage and Hour Division.
- The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) - Requires employers to provide to employees notice of their rights, benefits, and obligations under USERRA. Employers may provide the required notice by distributing it or posting it where employee notices are customarily placed. USERRA is administered by the Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS).
Related Topics and Links
Contacts
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
200 Constitution Ave NW
Washington, DC 20210
Contact OSHA
Phone: 1-800-321-OSHA (1-800-321-6742)
Local Offices - Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP)
200 Constitution Ave NW
Room C-3325
Washington, DC 20210
Contact OFCCP's Help Desk portal.
Phone: 1-800-397-6251
Local Offices - Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS)
200 Constitution Ave NW
Room N-5609
Washington, DC 20210
Email: olms-public@dol.gov
Phone: 202-693-0123
Local Offices - Wage and Hour Division (WHD)
200 Constitution Ave NW
Room S-3502
Washington, DC 20210
Contact WHD
Phone: 1-866-4USWAGE (1-866-487-9243)
Local Offices - Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS)
200 Constitution Ave NW
Room S-1325
Washington, DC 20210
Email: contact-vets@dol.gov
Phone: 1-866-4-USA-DOL (1-866-487-2365) or 1-800-397-6251
Regional Offices
For general questions regarding workplace concerns, please call the Department of Labor National Contact Center’s toll-free help line at 1-866-4-USA-DOL (1-866-487-2365). Live assistance is available in English and Spanish, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Additional service is available in more than 140 languages through a translation service.
Information provided by a telephone caller will be kept confidential within the bounds of the law. Compliance assistance inquiries will not trigger an inspection, audit, investigation, etc.
*If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.