Various government agencies require employers to post information in a common area to inform their employees of their rights. There aren't major penalties for not providing posters, but without them employers may not be insured against certain actions.

Consult the following list of posters to make sure that your actions are within compliance.

• Minimum Wage Poster - The State of Colorado Division of Labor requires that employers in retail and services; food and beverage; commercial support; and health and medical industries display a minimum wage poster that lists the current minimum wage rate and informs employees about wage issues. The poster needs to be displayed in a common workplace, such as the cafeteria. There isn't a penalty for not displaying the posters, but if the Department of Labor finds out that a company doesn't have one displayed they will contact the company, said a Department of Labor representative. Posters from the CDOL are only available in English. They either can be downloaded from www.colorado.gov or a free one can be obtained by calling 303-572-2241.
  
• Worker's Compensation Poster - Every employer must post a notice that reads, "If you are injured on the job, written notice of your injury must be given to your employer within 4 working days after the accident." Failure to post this notice in a visible workplace exempts employees from the written reporting requirements and employees can report an accident as long after the accident as they want without penalization. Employees also must continuously post a "Notice to Employees" poster that tells employees that the employer is insured, the name of the designated medical provider and what to do if a work-related injury occurs. If a company has bilingual employees, bilingual posters must be displayed. These posters can be obtained for free from your insurance provider. For more information, call 303-603-8231.
  
• Job Safety and Health Poster - The Occupational Safety and Health Association requires that every company display this poster in a common workplace. Posters are available in Spanish, but it isn't required to post bilingual posters. The posters state, "You have a right to a safe and helpful workplace. It's the law," said an OSHA representative. Following this statement is a bulleted list that outlines the laws for a safe work environment. If an OSHA representative enters a business without a poster, they will give the company one without penalty. If an OSHA representative comes back again and still there is not a poster, then the company will be cited. To obtain a free poster, call 303-844-1600.

Employers can obtain workplace posters free of charge from the government or insurance companies. If you receive posters from an outside source, check to make sure that it follows the legal requirements of the various posters.