Labor Law Poster Spotlight: Important New Posters from California, Maine, and District of Columbia

In this monthly series, the GovDocs Employment Law and Compliance Team highlights three recent labor law poster releases that employers need to know about.   

California’s Minimum Wage Poster and Wage Orders 

California’s Minimum Wage Poster and Wage Orders updated to include the state’s minimum wage increase of $16.90, effective Jan. 1, 2026. Note, California prohibits employers from taking a tipped credit, so there is no separate tipped employee wage updating.   

California released seventeen updated wage orders, which cover topics like wage and overtime rate requirements, meal and rest breaks, work schedules, recordkeeping, reporting pay, uniforms, etc. Employers do not need to post all of seventeen wage orders. Instead, they must determine which wage order(s) apply based on industry and occupation and post accordingly. 

The following industry-specific wage orders updated with increased wage rates:  

• WO 1 Manufacturing Industry
• WO 2 Personal Service Industry
• WO 3 Canning, Freezing and Preserving Industry
• WO 4 Professional, Technical, Clerical, Mechanical, and Similar Occupations Industries
• WO 5 Public Housekeeping Industry
• WO 6 Laundry, Linen Supply, Dry Cleaning, and Dyeing Industries
• WO 7 Mercantile Industry
• WO 8 Industries Handling Products After Harvest
• WO 9 Transportation Industry
• WO 10 Amusement and Recreation Industry
• WO 11 Broadcasting Industry
• WO 12 Motion Picture Industry
• WO 13 Industries Preparing Ag. Products for Mkt.
• WO 14 Agricultural Occupations
• WO 15 Household Occupations
• WO 16 Construction, Drilling, Logging & Mining
• WO 17 Miscellaneous Employees

The GovDocs Standard Update Program is currently shipping updated minimum wage posters and wage orders out to impacted customer locations in California. 

Washington D.C.’s Paid Family Leave Poster 

Washington D.C.’s Paid Family Leave poster updates annually to include a new maximum weekly benefit amount, which is based on the wages employers paid to employees and reported to D.C.’s Department of Employment Services, for the upcoming year. In 2026, the maximum weekly benefit amount increased to $1,190, up from $1,153 in 2025.  

Washington D.C.’s paid family leave poster must be displayed in the workplace by all employers in the District. Note, D.C. also requires the poster to be posted in any language released by the department. Therefore, the updated Spanish, Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese, French, and Amharic versions must all be displayed. The GovDocs Standard Update Program is shipping the English version as well as the other languages listed above to D.C. customer locations.  

Maine’s Right Not to Participate in Employers’ Religious or Political Meetings Poster 

Maine adopted legislation titled “An Act to Protect Employee Freedom of Speech,” following several other states, such as California and Washington, that have recently enacted and/or amended captive audience laws throughout the country.  

Under the Act, employers are prohibited from terminating, disciplining, or penalizing employees who decline or refuse to attend, to participate, receive, employer communications that express opinions on religious or political matters, or report violations.  

The Act also requires all employers in the state to display the captive audience poster in the workplace. GovDocs is shipping the new poster out to impacted customers, and the poster will also be included in the GovDocs Intranet Poster Program.