Insurance Curator Location focus: United States (spotlight on California, Texas & New York)
Workers’ compensation compliance is more than buying a policy—it includes visibly displaying very specific notices so employees understand their rights and the insurer that covers them. Missing or outdated postings can trigger federal OSHA penalties of up to $16,550 per location and state fines that run from $500 in New York to $7,000 in California.
This ultimate guide explains exactly what must be posted, where to get the official forms, how much non-compliance could cost your company, and the poster-management services that can keep your walls—and your workers’ compensation program—legally bullet-proof.
Table of Contents
- Why Posting Compliance Matters
- Federal Posting Requirements That Tie Into Workers’ Comp
- State-Specific Requirements & Penalties
- California
- Texas
- New York
- Free vs. Paid Poster Sources
- Cost Comparison of Leading Poster Services
- Step-by-Step Compliance Checklist
- Real-World Enforcement Examples
- Digital & Remote Workforce: Electronic Posting Rules
- Best Practices for Multi-State Employers
- Integrating Posters Into Your Broader WC Risk Strategy
1. Why Posting Compliance Matters
- Legal obligation: Every U.S. employer must display federal and state notices describing workers’ compensation coverage, claim filing and anti-retaliation rights.
- Financial protection: Proper postings prove “good-faith compliance,” helping to limit fines if an OSHA or state inspection finds other issues.
- Claim defense: When an injured worker claims ignorance of benefits, a missing poster erodes your credibility and can extend statutes of limitation.
- Brand & culture: Transparent communication of safety and benefit rights supports engagement and reduces whistleblower risk.
2. Federal Posting Requirements That Tie Into Workers’ Comp
| Required Poster | Agency | Primary WC Connection | 2025–26 Maximum Federal Fine* |
|---|---|---|---|
| “Job Safety & Health: It’s the Law” (OSHA) | OSHA | Informs workers of right to medical treatment & lost-time benefits after injury | $16,550 per violation1 |
| Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) | DOL | Violations often surface during WC fraud investigations | $26,262 |
| “Know Your Rights” (EEOC) | EEOC | Retaliation claims when injured workers are disciplined | $698 |
| Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA) | WHD | Overlaps with lost-time WC cases | $216 |
*Penalties adjusted annually for inflation (OSHA memo 1/15/2025).
Pro-tip: All federal posters are free to download from the U.S. Department of Labor and OSHA.
3. State-Specific Workers’ Compensation Posting Requirements & Penalties
3.1 California
| Item | Statutory Citation | Fine for Non-Posting |
|---|---|---|
| DWC-7 “Notice to Employees—Injuries Caused by Work” | Labor Code §§3550-3553 | Up to $7,000 per violation and a misdemeanor2 |
Must be posted in English & Spanish; also distributed as a pamphlet at hire.
3.2 Texas
Because Texas allows private employers to “opt-out” of coverage, two separate notices exist:
| Employer Status | Required Poster | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Subscriber | Notice 6 (insurance coverage) | Shows insurer name & hotline |
| Non-Subscriber | Notice 5 (no coverage) | Must be in English & Spanish |
Failure to post can lead to administrative penalties and civil liability if employees are misled. Texas’ average WC premium is just $0.51 per $100 of payroll, the lowest in 20 years—making coverage (and compliant posters) more affordable than many lawsuits.3
3.3 New York
| Required Poster | Form No. | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| “Notice of Compliance—Workers’ Compensation Law” | C-105 (English & Spanish) | $500 per violation under WCL §514 |
New York now also mandates that electronic copies be emailed or posted on an intranet for any remote employee.
4. Where to Get Posters: Free Downloads vs. Paid Compliance Kits
Free sources
- OSHA, state labor or WC agencies (links above)
- Insurance carriers often pre-fill policy information on state WC posters at no charge
Paid convenience kits
Commercial poster vendors bundle all required federal, state, county and city notices on laminated all-in-one boards—handy for multi-state locations and for automatic updates when laws change.
5. Cost Comparison of Leading Poster Services (2026 Pricing)
| Vendor | Product | What’s Included | Annual Cost* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poster Guard® | Poster Compliance Binder Service | Laminated federal + state posters in a binder with 12-month automatic replacements | $98.95 per location |
| Poster Guard® | Remote Worker E-Service | Digital posters & email updates; tracks acknowledgments | $15.99 per employee / $199 per state portal |
| LaborLawCenter® | Multi-Ship Complete Poster | Laminated all-in-one (Fed + State + OSHA) | $29.95 per location |
| LaborLawCenter® | New Business Set w/Auto-Replacement | Posters + 12-month update plan, PDF for remote staff | $124.95 per location |
| Paychex® | Poster Compliance Add-On (via HR Online) | Digital access to five core federal posters; state extras at cost | Starting $99/yr as part of Paychex Promise bundle |
*Prices verified January 2026; volume discounts may apply.
6. Step-by-Step Compliance Checklist
- Confirm coverage details
• Carrier name, policy number, effective dates - Download or order the correct poster set for each state where employees work.
- Complete fill-in fields (MPN, insurer contact, claim form location).
- Post conspicuously in break rooms, near time clocks and remote job trailers.
- Duplicate in alternative languages where 10 %+ of staff speaks another language.
- Provide electronic access for work-from-home staff (NY required, others recommended).
- Record-date each poster; replace immediately after any mandated update.
- Document with photos the posting location for audit defense.
- Audit quarterly—pair this with your Workers’ Compensation Insurance Compliance Checklist for Small Businesses.
- Log updates in payroll files to streamline your next premium audit—see How to Keep Accurate Payroll Records for Workers' Compensation Insurance Audits.
7. Real-World Enforcement Examples
- Southern California manufacturer cited by Cal/OSHA (2025): fined $14,000—$7k for missing DWC-7 poster and $7k for Spanish version.
- Upstate New York restaurant chain (2024): $4,500 in fines (nine locations × $500) for failing to display Form C-105.
- Dallas non-subscriber warehouse (2025): Employees claimed ignorance of coverage status; civil suit settled for $320,000—far exceeding the cost of coverage and posters. Details surfaced during simultaneous OSHA investigation that revealed no Notice 5 posting.
To understand the criminal side of non-coverage—for example, California’s $100,000 maximum fine and potential jail—read Fines & Criminal Charges: Real-World Penalties for Lacking Workers’ Compensation Insurance.
8. Digital & Remote Workforce: Electronic Posting Rules
| State | Year Adopted | Employer Obligation |
|---|---|---|
| New York | 2024 | Provide electronic copies of every mandatory notice & notify employees where to find them. |
| California | Guidance only | Encourages but doesn’t yet mandate e-postings; physical copy still required. |
| Federal | OSHA FAQ (2023) | Electronic posting alone is not sufficient; must supplement (not replace) physical posters except for 100 % remote worksites. |
Paid services such as Poster Guard’s E-Service or LaborLawCenter’s PDF bundle automate delivery and tracking—helpful proof during OSHA or state wage-hour audits.
9. Best Practices for Multi-State Employers
- Map jurisdictions: County and city ordinances (e.g., Los Angeles Paid Sick Leave) often add 2–5 extra notices.
- Centralize version control with a SaaS compliance dashboard.
- Bundle renewals: Sync poster subscription renewals with WC policy anniversary—see Renewal Time? Key Dates Employers Must Track for Workers' Compensation Insurance Policies.
- Conduct location audits before an OSHA inspection or NCCI mod review; missing posters can inflate your experience mod if citations relate to safety culture.
10. Integrating Posters Into Your Broader WC Risk Strategy
Mandatory postings are one spoke in the compliance wheel. Combine them with:
- Accident-prevention training—lack of training fuels both claims and OSHA fines. Check the minimums in Employee Training Requirements Tied to Workers' Compensation Insurance Regulations.
- Accurate payroll classification—misclassification drives premium hikes and liability.
- Coverage continuity—avoid lapses by understanding voluntary markets vs. assigned-risk pools for hard-to-insure industries.
- Self-insurance feasibility studies—some larger California and Texas employers lower costs, but posting rules stay the same; see Self-Insurance Qualification: Is It Right for Your Workers' Compensation Insurance Obligations?.
Key Takeaways
- Federal floor + state ceiling: Every employer must post federal OSHA and benefit notices plus their own state’s workers’ compensation poster(s).
- Penalties escalate quickly: Up to $43,000+ in combined federal fines per location, $7,000 (CA) or $500 (NY) at the state level—far cheaper to buy compliant posters.
- Commercial kits save admin time: Poster Guard and LaborLawCenter cost $30–$125 per site—often less than one hour of legal fees.
- Remote workforce rules are here: At least one major state (NY) now requires e-delivery of notices.
Maintain visible, up-to-date workers’ compensation postings and you’ll safeguard both your balance sheet and your employees’ rights—one laminated sheet at a time.
Sources
- OSHA Penalty Schedule, updated Jan 15 2025.
- California DIR – “Posting Requirements” FAQ, Labor Code §§3550-3553.
- Texas Department of Insurance, “Are employers required to have workers’ compensation insurance in Texas?” (March 20 2023).
- New York Workers’ Compensation Board, “Employers’ Rights & Responsibilities,” Section 51.