It’s Time to Update Your Workplace Notices and Posters to Reflect New Laws

Post by Julie Jelen, LMCIT senior loss control consultant

Minnesota law mandates that employers furnish certain notifications to their workforce and display specific posters in a location easily visible to employees. The Minnesota Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MNOSHA) will almost certainly inspect for the presence of these posters if they visit your city.

Posters can be obtained at no charge from the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI). Updates are only necessary when there are changes to Minnesota law. The following is a brief overview of recent changes and updates.

Posters

• Minimum Wage (updated) – All employers are obligated to exhibit this poster where it’s easily seen by employees. Minimum-wage rates increase Jan. 1, 2024.
• Veterans Benefits and Services (new) – As of Jan. 1, 2024, employers with more than 50 full-time employees must display this new poster in a visible location.
• Earned Sick and Safe Time (new) – Starting Jan. 1, 2024, Minnesota’s new earned sick and safe time law requires employers to provide paid leave to in-state employees. Displaying the informational poster created by DLI is encouraged, but it is not mandatory.

Notices

• Earned Sick and Safe Time (new) – Every employer is required to inform each of their employees about earned sick and safe time by Jan. 1, 2024, or at the commencement of employment if it begins after Jan. 1, 2024. Employers with an employee handbook must incorporate this notice into the handbook.
• Employer-sponsored Meetings or Communications (new) – Every employer is required to display a notice informing employees of their rights under the recently enacted employer-sponsored meetings or communications law. While DLI lacks the authority to specify the notice design, the law’s text is provided for inclusion: “State law prohibits employers from taking or threatening adverse employment action against employees who refuse to attend employer-sponsored meetings concerning religious or political matters (see Minnesota Statutes 181.531).”For questions about implementation of the notice regarding meetings or communications, employers are advised to seek guidance from an employment attorney.

How to Obtain or Print Posters

Posters and notices can be directly printed from the DLI’s Workplace Notices and Posters webpage, or they can be ordered through an online form, telephone, or email.