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California employers must post a variety of notices at the workplace. The purpose of these posters is to inform employees of their rights at work, including how to file a complaint or otherwise report violations of those rights. Employers in California must post information on both state and federal employment laws. Failing to post required notices can have serious consequences, including penalties and even criminal charges.
California employers must post the following federal notices:
California employers are also required to post the following notices specific to California law:
Your city or local government may also have posting requirements (for example, San Francisco has several additional posting requirements). Check with your local municipal or county government office to find out.
If a significant number of your employees speak a language other than English, you may need to post notices in that language as well.
Employers must post these notices at every work location. They must be posted in a conspicuous and easily accessible place, where employees and applicants can see them. Common locations for posting include a company break room or lunch room, near the employee entrance, near the HR office, or near a highly trafficked workplace area, such as a kitchen, copier, or vending machines.
You can download the required notices from the state or federal agency that issues them. For example, you can get most of the federal posters from the Department of Labor's Poster Page. Most required California posters are available from the Department of Industrial Relations at its workplace postings page. And the Notice to Employee forms can be found at the Employment Development Department's website.
There are also private vendors who assemble packages of required posters for each state. These services can be quite convenient, as the vendors will typically provide you with updates as necessary. You'll also save on space, as these vendors combine all required posters into one large notice that's ready to pin up on the bulletin board. An Internet search for "California workplace posters" will reveal plenty of options for purchasing posters and updating services.