IMPORTANT
While it’s true many changes occur in labor law on or near the January 1st of the new year, there are a host of other revisions that are typically set to be effective at a later date. The common misconception of new year’s posters is rampant and in fact, causing many companies to be non-compliant with federal and state laws since it’s both difficult and time consuming to keep track of every little, yet required, update to labor law during the year.
There may be such a thing as 2020 labor law poster, but it doesn’t automatically place you in compliance for the entirety of 2022; it’s impossible to assure that with a single poster. So instead of trying to deceive you, we’re telling you up-front: so called 2022 labor law posters will only keep you in compliance with the posting requirements of the federal and state governments until the next required change.
What are labor law posters?
Labor law posters, or as they’re sometimes known, compliance posters or workplace posters, are federal and state mandated laws to be displayed in some obvious and clear form within a workplace. The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 requires employers to provide their employees with working conditions that are free of known dangers. While there is no law that requires these laws to be shown in poster format, employers often opt to do for a number of reasons:
- They’re compact. Having all your required posters in a single, large sheet of paper means they’ll take up less space in the workplace. You won’t have to deal with dozens of printouts and worry about how they’ll all stay up where you want them.
- Worry free compliance. Posters usually include all updated labor laws that must be displayed by all industries (as opposed to specific labor laws, which are typically separate in some way from the main poster). This is especially handy when you’re unsure of either where to obtain individual posters or which ones you need. If you’ll look around the web, you’ll find that state government sites can present great difficulty when attempting to find mandated notices to be displayed in the workplace.
- Coverage Plans. Most companies that sell labor law posters offer some sort of coverage plan; that is, a subscription that keeps your posters up-to-date whenever there’s a labor law change, typically through usage of either a) crack and peels sent to place on top of the revised portion of your poster or b) an entirely new poster.
While it’s mostly a secondary and minor concern, aesthetic looks are also taken into consideration by some employers when deciding on how to display labor laws. Some will go so far as to frame the poster, thereby making it much more obvious for employees to spot.
Although there a number of reputable companies that sell labor law posters, such as FWLLI and gNeil or Labor Law Center we recommend buying from Corporate Labor Law Poster Services by virtue of their impressive and long standing relationship with their customers, as well as their great pricing when compared to their competitors. To put it succinctly, their federal and state labor law poster is $24.99, whereas FWLII charges $28.95 and Poster Compliance charges $48.50. It should be noted that the quality of these posters are similar, so the prices are not made due to a variance in quality.
Before buying labor law posters, there are a few important things you should know:
Which posters are required: Labor law posting requirements can vary depending on your location, industry, and number of employees. It’s important to research which posters are required for your specific situation to ensure you are in compliance with the law.
Where to display posters: Labor law posters must be displayed in a prominent location where all employees can easily see and read them. This could include break rooms, common areas, or other high-traffic areas.
Update requirements: Labor laws can change frequently, and it’s important to ensure your posters are up-to-date with the latest information. Some states and federal agencies require employers to update their posters annually or as changes occur.
Quality and design: When choosing labor law posters, it’s important to ensure they are high quality and easy to read. Look for posters that are printed on durable materials and have clear, easy-to-understand language and graphics.
Enforcement and penalties: Failure to display required labor law posters can result in fines and penalties, so it’s important to take this requirement seriously. Research the enforcement policies in your area to ensure you are in compliance and avoid any potential fines.