If you own a business in Washington State and have employees, you are required to display certain workplace posters that inform workers about their rights, protections, and workplace safety requirements. The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) requires these posters because they help ensure employees understand important information about wages, workplace injuries, discrimination protections, job safety, paid sick leave, and other labor laws that affect them on the job. These notices are intended to create transparency in the workplace and help both employers and employees understand their rights and responsibilities under state and federal law.

Required posters typically include information related to minimum wage requirements, workers’ compensation coverage, job safety and health protections, paid sick leave, and protections against discrimination. Depending on your business type and whether you have federal labor law requirements, additional posters may also apply. Employers are responsible for making sure these notices are displayed where employees can easily see and read them during the workday. Common locations include employee break rooms, near time clocks, in shared workspaces, or other highly visible areas where workplace notices are regularly posted. If employees work remotely or rarely report to a central workplace, employers should also make these notices accessible electronically.

The good news for employers is that these required workplace posters are available free of charge directly from Washington State L&I. Businesses should never feel pressured to purchase these posters from third-party companies. Unfortunately, many new businesses receive official-looking letters, emails, or phone calls from companies claiming they must pay for workplace posters or risk fines and penalties. These solicitations can appear convincing and are often designed to look like government notices, but they are not affiliated with L&I. In most cases, employers can obtain everything they need directly from the state at no cost.

Washington employers can download or order the required posters for free from the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries website at:Lni.wa.gov/RequiredPosters‍

Taking a few minutes to make sure your required posters are up to date and properly displayed can help your business stay compliant, avoid unnecessary confusion, and ensure employees have access to important workplace information. Employers should also periodically review the poster requirements because labor laws and posting requirements can change over time. By obtaining your posters directly from L&I, you can be confident you are using the correct and most current versions without paying unnecessary fees to outside vendors.