Many state and federal government agencies have mandatory posting requirements for employers. The notices are intended to inform employees of various rights, conditions, and safeguards that have been put in place to create a safe and secure work environment.
Some posters address very specific issues and must be posted in certain workplaces. For example, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (CalOSHA) requires a notice entitled “Access to Medical and Exposure Records” be posted only by employers using toxic or hazardous substances. The Department of Fair Employment and Housing requires the notice “Family Care and Medical Leave and Pregnancy Disability Leave” to be posted on if there are 50 or more employees at a single location.
Other postings that are mandatory in all workplaces include those required by The Department of Fair Employment and Housing, the Department of Industrial Relations, the Employment Development Department, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Secretary of State’s Office, and the U.S. Department of Labor.
There are also a few non-agency posters, including notices addressing smoking, laser warnings, and Proposition 65 hazardous chemicals. Some other posting mandates address workplace sexual harassment, California’s minimum wage law, Time Off to Vote notices, and even whistleblower protection rights, just to name a few.
While many think of a doctor’s office as a place of healing and not a place of business, it is still subject to the same posting requirements as every other California workplace. Failure to post these notice requirements is costly. And failure to post CalOSHA’s workplace safety notice could result in fines up to $7,000 per violation.
Author Stephanie Cuomo is a Senior Risk Management & Patient Safety Specialist for the Cooperative of American Physicians, Inc (CAP).
If you have questions about this article, please contact us. This information should not be considered legal advice applicable to a specific situation. Legal guidance for individual matters should be obtained from a retained attorney.