Last reviewed: October 2026
Federal labor law posters apply in every state, and most employers need the same core set. This guide explains which federal notices you must display, which employers each one covers, the added notices for federal contractors and visa program employers, and how to display them correctly. It is part of our Complete Guide to Federal and State Labor Law Poster Requirements, which also covers state requirements.
Table of Contents
- Federal Posters at a Glance
- Core Federal Posters for Most Employers
- Federal Contractors and Subcontractors
- Visa Program and Agricultural Employers
- How to Display Federal Posters Correctly
- Remote Employees and Electronic Posting
- Penalties for Missing Federal Posters
- Federal Poster Changes to Watch
- FAQ
Federal Posters at a Glance
| Poster | Who must display it | Agency |
|---|---|---|
| Employee Rights Under the Fair Labor Standards Act | Employers covered by the FLSA | DOL Wage and Hour Division |
| Job Safety and Health: It's the Law! | Employers covered by the OSH Act (State Plan states use the State Plan version) | OSHA |
| Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination Is Illegal | Generally employers with 15 or more employees, and federal contractors | EEOC |
| Employee Rights Under the Family and Medical Leave Act | Private employers with 50 or more employees in 20 or more workweeks in the current or preceding calendar year; public agencies; public and private elementary and secondary schools | DOL Wage and Hour Division |
| Employee Polygraph Protection Act | Most private employers | DOL Wage and Hour Division |
| Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act | All employers (posting the notice meets the notice requirement) | DOL Veterans' Employment and Training Service |
The Department of Labor's posters page lists each DOL notice and links to free copies. Its FirstStep Poster Advisor asks a few questions about your business and lists the federal posters that apply.
Core Federal Posters for Most Employers
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
The FLSA poster covers the federal minimum wage, which remains $7.25 an hour, along with overtime pay, child labor rules, break time and private space for nursing employees, and how to file a complaint with the Wage and Hour Division. Display it even if your state's minimum wage is higher; the state poster does not replace it.
OSHA Job Safety and Health
The OSHA poster tells employees they have the right to a safe workplace, to report hazards and injuries, and to file a complaint without retaliation. Printed copies must be at least 8.5 by 14 inches. Employers in states with an OSHA-approved State Plan display the State Plan's poster instead of the federal one.
EEOC Know Your Rights
The EEOC poster covers protection from discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, disability and genetic information, and explains how to file a charge. It replaced the "EEO Is the Law" poster in October 2022 and was revised in June 2023 to add the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. The EEOC has announced a further revision; until a new version is issued, display the current version from the EEOC poster page. The EEOC also asks employers to post it where job applicants can see it.
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
Covered employers must post the FMLA notice even if no employee is currently eligible for leave. Where a significant portion of the workforce is not literate in English, the notice must also be provided in a language those employees understand. For coverage, placement and the separate notices due when an employee asks for leave, see our Employer Guide to FMLA Poster Compliance and Posting Requirements.
Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA)
The EPPA notice tells employees that most private employers cannot require or request a lie detector test, or act on test results, with limited exceptions such as certain security and pharmaceutical employers.
USERRA
Employers must inform employees of their reemployment rights after military service and their protection from discrimination based on service. Posting the USERRA notice where employee notices are customarily placed satisfies the requirement.
Federal Contractors and Subcontractors
Federal contractors display the core posters plus notices tied to their contracts. Which ones apply depends on the contract type and the clauses in it.
- Employee Rights Under the National Labor Relations Act, required by Executive Order 13496 for covered contracts.
- Executive Order 13658 minimum wage poster for covered contracts. The rate rose to $13.65 an hour on May 11, 2026.
- Davis-Bacon Act notice on covered federal construction contracts, posted at the job site.
- Service Contract Act notice on covered service contracts.
What Changed for Contractors in 2025 and 2026
The Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision is no longer required. It came from Executive Order 11246, which was revoked on January 21, 2025, and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs published a final rule on August 21, 2026 removing the regulations behind it, effective October 26, 2026.
Executive Order 14026, which set a higher minimum wage for some contracts, was revoked in March 2025. The Executive Order 13658 rate continues to apply to contracts it covers.
Visa Program and Agricultural Employers
- H-2A and H-2B employers must post the program's worker rights notice at the job site.
- Employers of migrant and seasonal agricultural workers must display the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act notice.
How to Display Federal Posters Correctly
Federal posters must be displayed in a conspicuous place where employees, and for some notices applicants, can readily see them. Break rooms, areas near time clocks, main employee entrances and employee bulletin boards are typical choices. A back office or a manager-only area does not qualify.
- Every worksite needs its own set. A separate building, warehouse or job site where employees report needs posters there, not only at headquarters.
- Posters must be readable. A faded, torn or covered poster does not meet the requirement.
- Combined posters are allowed if each notice is complete and meets any size or format rule, such as OSHA's minimum size.
- Free copies are available from each agency. Employers often use combined federal posters to keep one current version per location.
Remote Employees and Electronic Posting
Under Department of Labor Field Assistance Bulletin 2020-7, electronic posting can satisfy a federal posting requirement for employees who work exclusively remotely and customarily receive information from the employer electronically. Employees must be told where to find the notices and be able to reach them easily.
For employees who report to a worksite, the physical poster is still required, and electronic access is a supplement. State electronic posting rules differ from the federal guidance; see our 2027 Compliance Alert on digital posting requirements for Ohio, New York and Illinois.
Penalties for Missing Federal Posters
For 2026, OSHA's maximum penalty for a posting violation is $16,550 per violation; OSHA made no inflation adjustment this year, so the 2025 amounts carried over (OSHA penalties). Other agencies set their own penalties, and a missing notice can also weaken an employer's position in a wage, leave or discrimination claim. For the EEOC, FMLA and EPPA maximums, see Do Labor Law Posters Expire? What Employers Need to Know.
Federal Poster Changes to Watch
- EEOC poster revision: the EEOC has said a revised Know Your Rights poster is coming. Replace the current version when the new one is issued.
- Contractor minimum wage: the Executive Order 13658 rate is adjusted each year.
- Federal minimum wage: the FLSA rate has been $7.25 since 2009; any change would require a new FLSA poster.
FAQ
Do small businesses need federal labor law posters?
Yes. Most private employers need the FLSA, OSHA, EPPA and USERRA notices regardless of size. The EEOC poster generally applies at 15 or more employees and the FMLA poster at 50 or more.
Do I need the federal minimum wage poster if my state's rate is higher?
Yes. The FLSA poster is required wherever the FLSA applies, alongside your state's minimum wage poster.
Is the Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision still required?
No. It was based on Executive Order 11246, which was revoked in January 2025, and its regulations are removed effective October 26, 2026.
Can federal posters be posted only online?
Only for employees who work exclusively remotely and customarily receive information from the employer electronically. Employees who report to a worksite need the physical poster.
Get Current Federal and State Posters
National Safety Compliance offers combined state and federal labor law poster sets for every state, and 2027 sets are available for pre-order now. A labor law poster subscription sends replacement posters when mandatory changes occur, and our Most Recent Changes page lists the latest updates.