Posting compliance is complicated and it can be hard to determine what’s what. Here are some common misconceptions that could get you in trouble:

1. Posters Only Need be Updated Once a Year

Many employers believe that they only have to update or replace their posters once a year - when in reality laws change all the time.  2019 was a record year with over 60 mandatory changes across 36 states and 2020 is shaping up to surpass that.  

Over 25 states already have mandatory labor law poster changes in effect for 2020 .   

2. No Risk to Ignoring Posting Requirements 

Fines for failure to post are adjusted each year for inflation and now top over $35,500. And that’s just at the federal level. State and local government fines are typically between $100 and $1,000. Got multiple locations? You need posters for those as well. 

But the real danger of failing to post, or even posting outdated or inaccurate posters, is the risk of litigation from current or former employees. Posting violations can swing the courts in favor of the plaintiff. Statute of limitations won’t apply if you have an outdated or no poster at all. And it’ll also be considered evidence of bad faith – directly affecting damages in an employee lawsuit.  

3. No One Is Coming in to Check the Posters

Maybe you don’t have auditors dropping in just to check your posters, but before you think you’re off the hook – consider this. Fines and posting penalties are usually assessed because an agency is there for an unrelated reason. An OSHA inspection, an EEOC investigation, or a follow up to an employee complaint, can all lead to non-compliance penalties.  

4. My Company Can Manage Posting Compliance Themselves 

Sure, you could track the local, state, and federal regulations, keep up to date on the latest rules regarding military contracts or independent contractors, assess which laws apply based off your location, number of sites, number of employees and industry. But it’s a lot to keep track of (not to mention the room for error) and it takes up countless hours that you could be spending on other tasks.

Maintaining compliance is complex. There are nearly 200 different agencies responsible for issuing posting requirements across federal, state and local levels and it can be hard to stay on top of it all.

Easy Solution To Make Sure Your Business Is Compliant:

Call 1-800-226-2327, or chat with a Compliance Specialist to receive a free compliance audit to identify which mandatory posters are required for your business.