Take the time to understand the notices that need to be posted in your workplace.
By Sue Schauls
The U.S. Department of Labor requires that notices be provided to employees and posted in the workplace. Each state also has employee Labor Law posting requirements.
ARA’s ECAR Center website (http://www.ecarcenter.org/) has fact sheets on environmental compliance issues facing automotive recycling facilities as well as a fact sheet on Labor Law postings.
The Labor Law fact sheet http://www.ecarcenter.org/LaborLaw.html explains the federal requirements plus provides links to download the federal postings as well as state download and informational pages. Take a look at your state and see if you are compliant.
Most state labor departments compiled workplace appropriate signs, available to download or by request, which include state and federal required labor and employment law notices.
The U.S. Department of Labor requires certain information to be posted for employees’ awareness of fair labor law. Some signs are required, and others are recommended.
Every employer covered by the non-discrimination and EEO laws is required to post on its premises the poster, “Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law.”
Most state labor departments compiled workplace appropriate signs, available to download or by request, which include state and federal required labor and employment law notices.
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 provides information on federal DOL poster requirements. For information on state poster requirements, please visit state Departments of Labor at https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/stateresources.
The eLaws Poster Advisor can be used to determine which posters employers are required to display at their place of business. Posters, available in English and other languages, may be downloaded free of charge and printed directly from the Advisor.

Sue Schauls is an environmental and safety expert whose career started 28 years ago at the Iowa Waste Reduction Center at University of Northern Iowa. She is the Certification Consultant to the ARA and can be reached at sue@a-r-a.org. She is also the Executive Director of the Iowa Automotive Recyclers association and compliance consultant to the industry through the ARA’s Certified Auto Recyclers (CAR) program and the I-CARE program – Iowa Certified Automotive Recyclers Environmental Program.