California workplace posting guide

A practical starting point for California employers: choose the notices that apply, display them clearly, and keep them current.

Reviewed September 19, 2026 · General information, not legal advice.

Looking for a finished wall poster? Compare our California and federal labor law posters in modern white and black. Review the requirements below before choosing your edition.

01 / Start with your workplace.

Your location, industry, employee count, workforce languages, and other circumstances determine which requirements apply. A combined California and federal poster is a starting point; additional notices may be needed.

• Check California wage, hour, safety, and other notices through the Department of Industrial Relations posting list.
• Identify your applicable Industrial Welfare Commission industry or occupational wage order. More than one order can apply. The DIR posting FAQ explains how to get started.
• Review discrimination, leave, and other notices on the California Civil Rights Department publications page. Applicability and language requirements differ by notice.
• Use the U.S. Department of Labor poster resources to assess federal DOL notices. Other federal agencies can have separate requirements.
• Check your city and county government websites for local notices, and check any requirements specific to your industry or government contracts.

02 / Complete the details. Give notices a clear place.

Before display, complete applicable employer fields, such as payday information, workplace contacts, and workers’ compensation information. Check the instructions for each notice.

California DIR says required posters must be placed where employees frequent and can easily read them during the workday. CRD also specifies visibility to employees and applicants at each applicable location. Review each agency’s placement rules when deciding where notices belong.

Keep the entire notice visible and readable. Avoid obstructing it with furniture or covering text with a frame. Check the required size, language, and reproduction instructions before resizing or printing a notice yourself. See DIR and CRD for the underlying requirements.

03 / Check remote-work requirements separately.

Under California Labor Code section 1207, an employer may also email information that must be physically posted. Email distribution does not remove the physical-posting obligation under that section.

A download or home-printed packet should not be treated as an automatic replacement for workplace postings. Review the rules of the agency responsible for each notice, including applicable federal requirements, for your particular remote or hybrid workforce.

04 / Some information must reach employees directly.

Posting a notice on the wall and delivering a notice to an employee are separate obligations. Buying a poster does not complete every employee-notice requirement.

For example, California’s Workplace Know Your Rights Act took effect January 1, 2026. The Labor Commissioner describes an annual rights notice that employers must deliver to employees by February 1, using an appropriate delivery method such as email, text, or in person. Existing workplace posting obligations continue. Read the Labor Commissioner’s guidance and official notice links.

05 / Keep the information current.

Review applicable requirements when laws or workplace circumstances change. Replace or supplement information that has become outdated; a year printed on a poster does not establish that it covers every current requirement.

DIR’s posting FAQ explains that posters generally need updating when their content changes. You do not have to buy a commercial poster simply because a seller says an annual purchase is mandatory. Official government notices are available free from the issuing agencies.

About the Work Force edition.

Our 2026 Workplace Edition is a one-time purchase of the edition described on its product page. Future printed updates are not included. Check the product’s included notices against the requirements for your workplace before ordering.

Work Force Industries LLC is a private publisher, not a government agency, and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any government agency. This guide does not certify a workplace’s compliance. Use the official sources above for current instructions and obtain qualified advice for questions specific to your business.