Compliance

Federal minimum wage poster

January 6, 2026digital-posters

Federal Minimum Wage Poster: What It Is, Who Must Post It, and How to Stay Compliant

If you’re searching for the federal minimum wage poster, you likely need to confirm (1) whether your business must display it, (2) which version applies to your workforce, and (3) where and how to post it—especially if you’re using a digital labor law poster solution. This guide from SwiftSDS explains the minimum wage poster requirements under federal law and how to handle common compliance scenarios like remote teams, multi-site operations, and state/local wage rules.

What Is the Federal Minimum Wage Poster (Minimum Wage Notice)?

The “federal minimum wage poster” is the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) notice titled Employee Rights Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). It’s commonly referred to as a minimum wage notice because it summarizes key FLSA rights, including:

  • Federal minimum wage and overtime rules
  • Child labor restrictions
  • How to file a complaint and contact DOL Wage and Hour Division
  • Prohibitions against retaliation

The FLSA is enforced by the DOL Wage and Hour Division under 29 U.S.C. § 201 et seq. and related regulations in 29 C.F.R. Parts 516 and 570 (recordkeeping and child labor are frequently implicated in wage/hour investigations).

For your workplace posting file, start with the current DOL versions:

Who Must Post the Federal Minimum Wage Poster?

Most employers covered by the FLSA must post the notice. Coverage generally includes businesses with annual gross sales of $500,000+, and/or businesses engaged in interstate commerce (a broad standard that often includes using interstate communications, ordering goods across state lines, etc.). Many employees are also covered individually even if an employer’s enterprise coverage is unclear.

Common examples of covered employers

  • Retail, hospitality, healthcare, and manufacturing employers
  • Staffing and temp agencies
  • Professional services firms with interstate activity
  • Businesses with multiple locations (even if each site is small)

Special versions for certain workforces

Some employers need a specialized FLSA posting version:

For a broader checklist of federal postings beyond minimum wage, see SwiftSDS’s Federal (United States) Posting Requirements.

Where and How to Post the Minimum Wage Poster (Physical and Digital)

Federal posting rules generally require that the notice be displayed “conspicuously” where employees and applicants can readily see it. Practically, that means a location like:

  • Break rooms
  • Near time clocks
  • HR bulletin boards
  • Near onboarding or applicant areas

Using digital labor law posters (electronic posting)

If your workforce is distributed or you operate multiple sites, digital posting can streamline compliance—provided employees have ready access to the notice. Many employers implement:

  • A dedicated compliance screen in the workplace (lobby/break room display)
  • An intranet “Labor Law Notices” page accessible without barriers
  • QR codes posted onsite that link directly to current notices

SwiftSDS covers how digital posting works in practice in its hub on Electronic posters, along with real-world Electronic poster examples for multi-site compliance workflows.

Federal vs. State Minimum Wage Posters: Avoid a Common Compliance Gap

A frequent issue: employers post the federal notice but miss state or local wage notices—or they post an outdated state wage rate after a January increase.

The FLSA poster satisfies the federal requirement, but many states (and some cities/counties) require additional wage/hour notices. If your state minimum wage is higher than the federal rate, your posting obligations may include separate state-issued posters.

Action step: verify your location-specific posting list:

If you operate in Washington, DC, note that DC has its own minimum wage materials—see Dc labor law posters.

H3: Federal Contractor Minimum Wage Poster vs. Standard FLSA Poster

If you perform covered work as a federal contractor or subcontractor, you may have additional posting requirements related to the federal contractor minimum wage (distinct from the general FLSA notice). That requirement typically ties to executive order-based contractor wage obligations and the contract’s coverage rules.

If that applies to you, review the specialized guidance in SwiftSDS’s Federal contractor minimum wage poster resource to avoid assuming the standard FLSA poster is enough.

H3: Language and Accessibility Best Practices for the Minimum Wage Notice

Federal rules emphasize that the notice must be posted where it can be readily observed. While the DOL provides English and Spanish versions, employers should also consider:

  • Posting Spanish where a significant portion of the workforce is Spanish-speaking
  • Making notices accessible to employees with disabilities (for example, ensuring digital access is compatible with screen readers)

For broader workplace accessibility posting obligations, many employers also display ADA-related notices and policies; SwiftSDS provides background on the ada poster within its digital poster content hub.

Compliance Tips: How HR Teams Can Stay Audit-Ready

Here are practical steps HR and operations teams can implement immediately:

  1. Confirm which FLSA poster version applies
    Use the standard notice for most private employers, but check agriculture and public-sector variants when applicable.

  2. Standardize posting across all sites
    Multi-location employers should maintain a single source of truth for postings and versions—especially after updates.

  3. Document your posting method
    Keep a record of where postings are displayed (physical locations and/or digital endpoints), including screenshots for digital displays.

  4. Review postings during onboarding and internal audits
    Add “labor law posters check” to quarterly safety/compliance inspections and onboarding checklists.

  5. Train managers to spot common red flags
    Outdated wage rates, missing Spanish versions, or posters placed in restricted areas (manager offices, locked rooms).

As you build your compliance communication strategy, be mindful that not all workplace postings are legally required—and some “poster services” rely on confusion. SwiftSDS addresses this in business posting department scam, which can help teams vet third-party solicitations.

FAQ: Federal Minimum Wage Poster

1) Is the federal minimum wage poster required for all employers?

Many employers are covered by the FLSA and must post the notice, but coverage depends on factors like enterprise size and interstate commerce activity. When in doubt, most businesses choose to post it because it’s low-effort and commonly expected in audits. For a complete list of federal postings, see Federal (United States) Posting Requirements.

2) Can I post the minimum wage notice electronically instead of printing it?

Electronic posting can work if employees have ready access and the notice is effectively “conspicuous” in your environment (e.g., accessible on an internal site without barriers, or displayed on a dedicated screen in an employee area). For implementation ideas, review Electronic posters.

3) Do I need a separate minimum wage poster for my state?

Often, yes. Many states and some local jurisdictions require their own wage/hour notices, especially when the state/local minimum wage differs from the federal rate. Check your jurisdiction page (e.g., California (CA) Posting Requirements) to confirm what’s required where your employees work.

Staying Compliant with SwiftSDS Digital Labor Law Posters

The federal minimum wage poster is a foundational FLSA requirement, but it’s only one piece of a complete posting program—especially for employers with multiple locations, remote employees, or state/local wage differences. To build a more comprehensive digital posting approach, explore SwiftSDS guidance on Electronic poster examples and the broader Electronic posters hub to keep notices current and consistently accessible.