Employer Guide to FMLA Poster Compliance and Posting Requirements

Introduction to FMLA Poster Requirements

FMLA poster compliance is a core duty under the Family and Medical Leave Act. Covered employers—private-sector employers with 50 or more employees, public agencies, and public and private schools—must display the official DOL “Employee Rights under the FMLA” general notice. This obligation applies even if no employees are currently eligible for leave. If you maintain an employee handbook, the general notice must also be included in the handbook or provided to every new hire at onboarding.

FMLA posting requirements call for displaying the notice in a conspicuous location where employees and applicants can readily see it, such as near time clocks, break rooms, or HR reception areas. Each worksite must have its own FMLA workplace posting; multi-site employers should ensure consistency across locations. For remote or hybrid teams, an electronic posting on an accessible intranet can supplement physical posters, but employers should also direct employees to the notice and ensure they can access it without barriers. When a significant portion of your workforce is not English-literate, provide the Family and Medical Leave Act posters in the appropriate language.

Key elements of FMLA regulatory compliance for postings include:

Coverage: Required for covered employers regardless of current employee eligibility.
Placement: Conspicuous, accessible areas for employees and applicants at every worksite.
Format and language: Clear, legible, and provided in languages spoken by your workforce.
Distribution: Include the general notice in the handbook or give it to new hires if no handbook exists.
Remote access: Make electronic versions readily accessible to remote employees and communicate where to find them.
Updates and penalties: Use the current DOL poster; failure to post can result in civil penalties and claims risk.

To simplify employee notification requirements, many employers rely on National Safety Compliance for consolidated federal and state postings that include the FMLA general notice and bilingual options. Their compliance team monitors regulatory changes and offers a labor law poster subscription to keep worksites current. For multi-state operations, standardized kits like NSC’s State & Federal Labor Law Posters help maintain consistent, up-to-date postings across all locations.

What is the FMLA and Why Posters Matter

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a federal law that provides eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for qualifying reasons such as the birth or adoption of a child, a serious health condition, or caring for a spouse, parent, or child with a serious health condition. It also allows up to 26 weeks to care for a covered servicemember with a serious injury or illness. Covered employers include private employers with 50 or more employees in 20 or more workweeks in the current or preceding year, as well as public agencies and schools regardless of size.

Family and Medical Leave Act posters serve as the legally required general notice to inform employees of their rights and responsibilities under the law. FMLA posting requirements are set out in 29 CFR 825.300 and include clear, conspicuous display of the notice so both employees and job applicants can easily see it. Failure to meet FMLA poster compliance can trigger enforcement actions and may be considered interference with employee rights.

To meet FMLA workplace posting obligations, display the current Department of Labor FMLA poster in a prominent location where other employee notices are posted. If a significant portion of your workforce is not literate in English, provide the notice in the language they understand. Employers must also include the general notice in an employee handbook or, if no handbook exists, provide it to each new hire; electronic posting can supplement physical posting, especially for remote or hybrid teams, provided employees have ready access.

Practical steps to strengthen employee notification requirements:

Verify you’re using the most current poster version and revision date.
Post at every facility and on internal intranet sites employees regularly access.
Include the general notice in onboarding packets and annual policy acknowledgments.
Maintain documentation (e.g., photos, intranet screenshots) of where and when postings are displayed.
Pair FMLA postings with state family/medical leave notices where applicable.

National Safety Compliance helps streamline FMLA regulatory compliance with accurate, up-to-date Labor Law Posters that include required federal notices and state updates. Their consolidated sets and a labor law poster subscription ensure you’re ready for revisions before deadlines. Integrating posters with training and clear policies creates a consistent, defensible compliance program. Their catalog also complements postings with reliable safety training materials, OSHA publications, SDS binders, and current federal/state labor law posters National Safety Compliance provides industry-specific courses, topic-based modules, motivational safety posters, and an All Access Pass that streamlines ongoing OSHA training.

Federal FMLA Poster Posting Requirements

To maintain FMLA poster compliance, covered employers must display the U.S. Department of Labor’s model “Employee Rights under the Family and Medical Leave Act” notice (Form WHD 1420). Coverage includes private employers with 50 or more employees in 20 or more workweeks in the current or preceding year, all public agencies, and public and private elementary and secondary schools. The notice must be posted even if no employees are currently eligible for FMLA leave.

Post the FMLA workplace posting in a conspicuous location where employees and job applicants can readily see it, such as near time clocks or in a common break area. Each separate facility should have its own posting. If a significant portion of your workforce is not literate in English, provide the notice in the appropriate language; the DOL offers Spanish versions. Using the current DOL model ensures the content and size meet FMLA posting requirements.

Electronic posting can satisfy the requirement for fully remote or dispersed workforces if employees and applicants customarily receive information electronically and have ready access (for example, via an intranet or HRIS with a clearly labeled, always-available link). For mixed on-site/remote teams, use both physical and electronic postings to ensure universal access and to strengthen FMLA regulatory compliance.

Beyond the wall notice, employers must also provide the “general notice” of FMLA rights in an employee handbook or policy manual. If you do not maintain a handbook, supply the general notice to each new hire upon onboarding. Remember, this is separate from the eligibility, rights-and-responsibilities, and designation notices required when an employee requests or is placed on FMLA leave.

Failure to post can result in civil money penalties, which are adjusted annually, and may complicate defense of leave disputes. To simplify compliance, National Safety Compliance offers federal labor law posters that include the required Family and Medical Leave Act posters, bilingual options, and update services, plus a labor law poster subscription to keep postings current across all locations.

For reliable safety training materials, OSHA publications, SDS binders, and current federal/state labor law posters National Safety Compliance provides industry-specific courses, topic-based modules, motivational safety posters, and an All Access Pass that streamlines ongoing OSHA training.

State-Specific FMLA Poster Considerations

FMLA poster compliance doesn’t end with the federal general notice. Many states and jurisdictions have their own family or medical leave laws with separate FMLA posting requirements, distribution rules, and employee notification requirements. Employers operating in multiple states must layer state notices with the federal Family and Medical Leave Act posters to achieve full FMLA regulatory compliance.

Pay close attention to language and accessibility. If a significant portion of your workforce is not literate in English, the federal FMLA workplace posting must be provided in the language they understand, and several states require Spanish or other translations. For remote or hybrid teams, electronic posting can supplement physical postings where allowed, but most states still require a conspicuous hard-copy posting at each worksite.

Examples of state-specific requirements include:

California: Post the CFRA/Pregnancy Disability Leave notice and the Paid Family Leave notice; provide the EDD DE 2511 pamphlet at hire and at leave events.
New York: Post the Paid Family Leave “Notice of Compliance” (Form PFL-120) from your insurance carrier; provide written guidance to employees.
New Jersey: Post NJ Family Leave Act and Family Leave Insurance posters; distribute notices at hire and annually.
Washington: Post the Paid Family & Medical Leave notice and provide written information about benefits and premium withholding to employees.
Massachusetts: Post the PFML workplace poster and issue a written PFML notice to employees and covered contractors with signed acknowledgments.
District of Columbia: Post the Universal Paid Leave notice and provide it to new hires and annually thereafter.
Oregon: Post the Paid Leave Oregon notice and supply written information to employees.

Standardize your process by auditing state requirements annually, ensuring insurer-issued posters (where applicable) are current, and consolidating updates across locations. National Safety Compliance offers state-specific labor law posters, including a labor law poster subscription, and tools to help you maintain synchronized federal and state postings. Their catalog also complements postings with reliable safety training materials, OSHA publications, SDS binders, and current federal/state labor law posters National Safety Compliance provides industry-specific courses, topic-based modules, motivational safety posters, and an All Access Pass that streamlines ongoing OSHA training.

Where to Display FMLA Posters in the Workplace

Covered employers must display the Department of Labor’s general FMLA notice in a conspicuous place where employees and job applicants can readily see it. This applies even if no employees are currently eligible for leave and at every facility or worksite where you have employees. Consistent placement across locations is a core part of FMLA poster compliance and helps satisfy employee notification requirements under FMLA regulatory compliance.

Choose high-traffic, employee-accessible areas that are not obstructed and are easy to find. Practical placement examples include:

Near time clocks, main entrances/exits, or breakrooms in manufacturing plants and warehouses
HR offices, onboarding rooms, or staff lounges in healthcare and office settings
Reception areas or lobbies where paper applications are accepted
Each floor of a multi-story facility and each jobsite trailer or check-in station on construction sites

If your organization hires or operates remotely, supplement physical postings with electronic access. When employees customarily receive policies electronically, provide the FMLA notice on your intranet with clear navigation and ensure remote workers can access it without barriers. If you recruit online and don’t accept applications on-site, place the notice (or a direct link to the DOL model) on your external careers page so applicants can see it.

Use the current DOL model Family and Medical Leave Act posters, post them prominently alongside other labor law notices, and keep them crisp, legible, and unobstructed. If a significant portion of your workforce is not literate in English, provide the notice in an appropriate language. Inspect postings during routine safety or HR audits, and re-post promptly after renovations, office moves, or signage changes to maintain FMLA workplace posting continuity.

To streamline multi-site FMLA posting requirements, National Safety Compliance offers up-to-date federal and state Labor Law posters, including current FMLA notices, with a labor law poster subscription. Standardizing with NSC’s posters helps ensure consistent, compliant displays across all locations.

Employee Notification and Communication Obligations

Covered employers must satisfy both general posting and individualized notice duties to meet FMLA poster compliance. The FMLA general notice (Family and Medical Leave Act posters) must be displayed prominently where employees and job applicants can readily see it, including at each facility. If a significant portion of your workforce is not literate in English, provide the notice in the appropriate language. Electronic posting can meet FMLA posting requirements for remote or distributed teams if employees and applicants have easy access. Include the general notice in employee handbooks or distribute it to new hires if no handbook exists.

Beyond the workplace posting, employers have strict employee notification requirements when leave is requested or when the employer learns an absence may be FMLA-qualifying. You must inform employees whether they are eligible for FMLA leave within five business days and outline their rights and responsibilities, such as medical certification requirements, substitution of paid leave, premium payments to maintain health coverage, call-in rules, and potential fitness-for-duty documentation. After obtaining sufficient information, provide a designation notice within five business days confirming whether the leave is approved and how it will be counted.

Bulletin board with group of employees sitting at table in the background.

Key communication obligations and timelines include:

General Notice: Post at worksites and provide in handbooks or at hire; use translations as needed; electronic posting allowed if accessible.
Eligibility Notice: Within five business days of a leave request or knowledge of a qualifying reason.
Rights & Responsibilities Notice: Issued with eligibility; include deadlines (e.g., 15 days for medical certification) and consequences for noncompliance.
Designation Notice: Within five business days after you have enough information; detail whether paid leave runs concurrently and any fitness-for-duty requirement.

Strengthen FMLA regulatory compliance by training supervisors to recognize potential FMLA triggers, centralizing leave communications, and tracking deadlines. National Safety Compliance offers compliant FMLA workplace posting solutions—including bilingual options—plus consolidated labor law posters (a labor law poster subscription), Their catalog also complements postings with reliable safety training materials, OSHA publications, SDS binders, and current federal/state labor law posters National Safety Compliance provides industry-specific courses, topic-based modules, motivational safety posters, and an All Access Pass that streamlines ongoing OSHA training.

Consequences of Non-Compliance and Penalties

Failing to meet FMLA poster compliance is more than a technical error—it’s a legal violation. The Wage and Hour Division (WHD) can assess civil money penalties for not displaying the required Family and Medical Leave Act posters in a conspicuous place accessible to employees and applicants. Penalties are assessed per location and are adjusted annually. Employers must also ensure FMLA workplace posting is provided in a language employees understand when a significant portion of the workforce is not literate in English.

Non-compliance often extends beyond the wall poster. Missing or late employee notification requirements—such as the eligibility and rights-and-responsibilities notice (generally within five business days of a leave request or when the employer learns an absence may be FMLA-qualifying) and the designation notice—can trigger FMLA interference claims. Consequences can include back pay, lost benefits, liquidated damages equal to back pay, attorney’s fees, and equitable relief such as reinstatement.

Common risks and costs include:

Civil money penalties for failing to meet FMLA posting requirements
WHD audits, investigations, and mandated corrective actions
Employee claims for interference or retaliation due to deficient notices
Liquidated damages, attorney’s fees, and potential reinstatement orders
Extended liability windows where failure to post may toll limitations periods
Operational impacts from investigations and required policy overhauls

Practical examples include multi-site employers with an updated poster at headquarters but outdated notices at satellite locations, or hybrid teams who never see a physical posting because no electronic version exists on the intranet. Employers also face risk when using outdated Family and Medical Leave Act posters after a regulatory update, or when they fail to issue individualized notices on time. These gaps can compound exposure during a WHD investigation or private lawsuit.

To reduce risk, audit postings and notices annually, confirm access for remote employees, and document all FMLA communications. National Safety Compliance offers up-to-date federal and state labor law posters, FMLA workplace posting solutions (including bilingual options), and compliance tools that help standardize notices and timelines. Their labor law poster subscription and resources make it easier to maintain FMLA regulatory compliance across every location.

How to Obtain Updated FMLA Posters

Start by confirming whether you are a covered employer under the Family and Medical Leave Act. Most private employers with 50 or more employees in 20 or more workweeks during the current or previous calendar year must meet FMLA posting requirements, even if no employees are currently eligible for leave. The required general notice is the U.S. Department of Labor’s “Employee Rights Under the Family and Medical Leave Act” (WHD Publication 1420).

Obtain the official poster directly from the DOL website to ensure FMLA regulatory compliance. Verify the revision date on the poster and download both English and Spanish versions if a significant portion of your workforce is not literate in English. You may print and display the notice or purchase a durable laminated version as part of a consolidated labor law poster for easier upkeep.

Use this quick checklist to meet FMLA workplace posting and employee notification requirements:

Post the notice in a conspicuous location at each worksite where employees and job applicants can readily see it (for example, near time clocks, break rooms, or reception areas).
For remote or hybrid teams, supplement physical posting with an electronic posting on your intranet or HR portal that employees and applicants can access without barriers.
Update any outdated Family and Medical Leave Act posters immediately when the DOL issues a new version; keep a record of when and where postings are updated.
For multi-state operations, pair the federal FMLA notice with any state or local family/medical leave postings (e.g., CFRA in California, NJFLA in New Jersey).
Include a link to the poster and a brief FMLA summary in onboarding materials to reinforce employee notification.

To simplify FMLA poster compliance across locations, National Safety Compliance offers consolidated federal and state Labor Law posters that include the current FMLA general notice, with a labor law poster subscription. Their update services help ensure you receive timely replacements when regulations change, reducing the risk of outdated postings and audit findings.

Managing Multiple Locations and Compliance

Coordinating FMLA poster compliance across multiple worksites starts with coverage and location. If your organization is covered by the FMLA, the general notice must be posted at every facility where employees report, in a conspicuous place frequented by employees and applicants (for example, near time clocks, break rooms, or main entrances). Centralized HR teams should verify that satellite offices, distribution centers, clinics, and job trailers are included—not just headquarters.

Man walking past a bulletin board in office.

For remote and hybrid teams, electronic posting can supplement physical displays if employees customarily receive information electronically, have constant access (e.g., intranet), and are informed where to find the notice. For temporary or nontraditional worksites—such as construction job trailers—post on a shared bulletin board and maintain a portable copy. In joint-employment scenarios (staffing agencies, PEOs, on-site vendors), ensure the poster is present at the host location; both entities should confirm compliance.

Create repeatable controls to manage scale and turnover:

Maintain a master inventory of required federal and state postings by worksite and language.
Assign a site owner for postings and conduct quarterly audits.
Capture time-stamped photos of postings and retain them for at least three years.
Re-verify after moves, remodels, new leases, or corporate rebrands.

National Safety Compliance simplifies multi-location FMLA workplace posting with consolidated federal/state labor law poster sets, bilingual options, and a labor law poster subscription. Their industry-specific kits and update resources help safety and HR leaders standardize FMLA posting requirements across states and worksites while supporting broader FMLA regulatory compliance.

Documentation and Record-Keeping Best Practices

Treat FMLA poster compliance as a documentation process, not just a posting task. Create an auditable trail that shows when, where, and how you met FMLA posting requirements across every facility, shift, and remote team. This is especially important for multi-site employers or hybrid workplaces where a mix of physical and electronic postings may be necessary to reach all employees and applicants.

Keep records for no less than three years and store them in a centralized, searchable location. In addition to standard FMLA leave records, maintain specific artifacts that prove your Family and Medical Leave Act posters were properly displayed and employees were notified. Medical certifications and related health information must be kept confidential and in files separate from personnel records.

Copy of the current FMLA model poster, including revision date/code and state supplements if applicable
Dated photos of each physical posting location (e.g., lobby, break room), with site, shift, and address noted
Screenshots of intranet/extranet FMLA workplace posting with the access path and audience permissions
Quarterly self-inspection logs documenting verifications and corrective actions
Copies of Eligibility, Rights & Responsibilities, and Designation Notices with delivery dates to meet employee notification requirements
Leave dates/hours taken, intermittent increments, benefit payment records, and applicable policies
Employee acknowledgments (e-signature or email receipts) for electronic notices and remote staff
Documentation of translated notices when a significant portion of the workforce is not English-proficient

Use version control to ensure you’re displaying the most current federal poster and any required state postings. When office layouts change or new worksites open, re-verify locations and update your posting map. For remote-first teams, electronic postings are helpful, but confirm that employees customarily access the site; supplement with direct distribution during onboarding and policy updates.

Build a recurring workflow: assign a poster owner per location, set calendar reminders for quarterly audits, and store evidence in a shared compliance folder. During FMLA regulatory compliance reviews, you should be able to retrieve artifacts by site and date within minutes.

National Safety Compliance simplifies this process with up-to-date federal and state labor law posters, labor law poster subscription, and practical checklists to standardize audits. Their All Access Pass and training resources help teams maintain consistent documentation practices alongside broader compliance efforts.

Conclusion: Maintaining Ongoing FMLA Compliance

Sustaining FMLA poster compliance is an ongoing process, not a one-time task. Review your FMLA workplace posting strategy whenever your workforce, locations, or communication channels change. For hybrid teams, keep a physical poster in a conspicuous place where employees and applicants can see it, and supplement with an electronic posting that is readily accessible to remote staff. Monitor federal and state updates so your Family and Medical Leave Act posters remain current across all worksites.

Build a simple cadence and checklist to maintain FMLA regulatory compliance and meet employee notification requirements throughout the year:

Confirm the current DOL FMLA general notice and revision date are posted at each location where you have employees.
Place posters in high-traffic areas (e.g., breakrooms, near time clocks) and in applicant-accessible spaces (e.g., reception or careers kiosk).
For fully remote teams, provide an electronic posting on your intranet/HR portal that employees can easily access; keep physical postings for any on-site staff.
If a significant portion of your workforce is not literate in English, post translated notices provided by the DOL.
Incorporate FMLA general notice access into onboarding checklists and remote new-hire packets.
Document distribution of eligibility, rights and responsibilities, and designation notices for each leave event; retain records for at least three years.
Audit quarterly or after organizational changes (mergers, new sites, layoffs) to verify coverage.
Train supervisors to direct leave requests promptly to HR so required notices go out on time.

Act quickly when circumstances shift. If the DOL issues an updated notice, replace older versions across all sites and digital portals. When opening a new facility or project site, ensure the FMLA posting is up on day one; do the same for temporary or shared worksites.

National Safety Compliance helps simplify the process with consolidated labor law poster solutions, including a labor law poster subscription to stay ahead of updates. Their catalog also complements postings with reliable safety training materials, OSHA publications, SDS binders, and current federal/state labor law posters National Safety Compliance provides industry-specific courses, topic-based modules, motivational safety posters, and an All Access Pass that streamlines ongoing OSHA training.