Labor Law Poster Spotlight: Important New Posters from Indiana, Maryland, and California

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

Indiana Veteran Benefits and Services Poster

Earlier this year, the Indiana state legislature passed House Bill 15 (HB 15) requiring employers with 50 or more full-time equivalent employees to display a new veterans’ benefits and services poster in the workplace. Specifically, HB 15 requires the Indiana Department of Labor, in consultation with the Department of Veterans Affairs, to create a new labor law poster containing the following:  

“(1) information concerning benefits and services available to veterans, including:  

(A) substance abuse and mental health treatment;  

(B) federal disability compensation;  

(C) educational resources;  

(D) employment and reemployment rights;  

(E) tax credits, exemptions, and refunds;  

(F) Indiana veteran driver’s licenses and photo identification cards;  

(G) free or low cost legal assistance; and  

(H) minority veteran resources; and  

(2) contact information for the following:  

(A) The United States Department of Veterans Affairs.  

(B) The department of veterans’ affairs. (C) The Veterans Crisis Line.” 

Now that HB 15 is in effect, Indiana released the new Veteran Benefits & Services poster. The GovDocs Update Program is currently shipping updated posters out to customers in the Hoosier State.   

Maryland No Smoking Poster

On May 16, 2024, Governor Wes Moore signed Maryland House Bill 238 (HB 238), amending the Clean Indoor Air Act to prohibit vaping in certain indoor spaces, including places of employment. Employers are now required to display an updated no smoking poster that includes vaping, and it must be posted in each indoor area open to the public and at each entrance.  

Accordingly, Maryland’s Department of Health released an updated poster with the addition of the new no vaping language and two additional general prohibition signs with new vaping and marijuana symbols.  

Of note, HB 238 further amends the violations and penalties provisions of the Act, updating it to: 

“It is an affirmative defense to a complaint brought against a person for a violation of a provision of this subtitle or a regulation adopted under this subtitle that the person or an employee of the person:     

(i) Posted a “No Smoking or Vaping” sign as required under § 24–506 of this subtitle;” 

Customers of both the GovDocs Update Program and Spanish Update Program will receive updated Maryland No Smoking posters at their impacted locations this month. 

California Wage Orders #5 and #7 Postings

In light of the new Fast Food Worker minimum wage that went into effect on April 1, 2024, California updated two of its Industrial Welfare Commission Wage Orders, specifically Wage Order #5 – Public Housekeeping Industry, which includes “any industry, business, or establishment which provides meals, housing, or maintenance services whether operated as a primary business or when incidental to other operations”, and Wage Order #7 – Mercantile Industry, or “any industry, business, or establishment operated for the purpose of purchasing, selling, or distributing goods or commodities at wholesale or retail; or for the purpose of renting goods or commodities.” 

The update to California Wage Orders #5 and #7 adds the new $20 minimum wage for fast food restaurant employers. The newly released wage orders are required to be posted in the workplace by employers in either the public housekeeping and/or mercantile industries.  

Updated California Wage Orders #5 and #7 are currently shipping out to impacted customers and are also included in GovDocs’ Intranet Poster Program.   

Conclusion

Coast to coast, jurisdictions continue to release new and updated labor law posters. As we step into fall, a robust Employment Law Compliance Platform is key to remain up to date on the latest changes to labor law posters, as well as minimum wage and paid leave requirements.